Sandy Toes, Sunkissed Nose
by Salvatoreboys4ever
Summary: Part 10 of ONB series. The first days of summer...the sun shining brightly...the wind cool. Damon wants to take his little family out for a day. Memories are made, laughter and happiness abound. He knows motherhood has been challenging and he's longing for the words and time to show her that she still means more to him than ever, despite all that's changed with being new parents.
1. A Perfect Summer Day

**Hi! I am back and have a beautiful fluffy Delena babylicious piece for you!**

 **I took a break from writing for most of the summer and a lot of other social media. I treasured the time with my kids home from school and focused on my job and health and now I am back and very eager to keep writing for you amazing DE fans.**

 **I have been hard at work at the Captive of Her Beauty sequel The Bond of Family and gotten lots of plot points figured out and can start working on individual chapters. I will be posting chapter by chapter for Book 4 of the Eternally Blood Bound series as well and need to come up with a title for that. My apologies for how long I have left that one waiting. It was never intentional. Life just got in the way and the time to do both series at the same time just didn't work.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed you summer too and it was all you wanted it to be.**

 **I helped Carol scarlett2112 with a beautiful heart tugging, cry your eyes out piece she wrote and gave her ideas to make it even better and betaed for her so she could surprise her bestie Eva with it for her birthday. It was an honor and pleasure to help her. Check out There She Stands and let her know what you think. I'm reading her reviews so happy to see her faithful readers loving my ideas for her story!**

 **Super special thanks to Carol for her amazing collage for this story. You are the best!**

 **Enjoy more stories with our human Delena and their precious baby. I will add more with other from the show yet later too and still am determined to do a DE human wedding and honeymoon but I'm not sure when yet.**

 **Happy reading!**

"Elena? Baby are you coming?" Damon had called softly from the doorway after waiting silently for the last 5 minutes. He was bouncing their little boy in his car seat on his knee as he sat on the front bench hoping to see those handsome little eyes close before they left.

Looking at his son's tiny face all scrunched up, his little fingers holding the soother pressed against his mouth was beautiful to behold. Every time he looked at the little angel that Elena and him had made, he felt this jolt of pure joy in his chest. His human heart swelled up with pride, simply gazing down into the little seat where his son was so desperately trying to catch a very long needed nap.

Baby Stef was on the brink of being overtired again which was never good and Damon knew they might not get another beautiful day like this for awhile with a lot of rain in the forecast. Today was gorgeous, not too hot or cold and a nice breeze that he was sure would be even more cool at the edge of the water. It was the beginning of summer and he wanted to take his wife and their barely 6 months old little boy out to enjoy such a perfect day.

He had wrangled some extra help at the restaurant and was assured over and over by the assistant manager, his friend Troy that everything would be fine till he got back later that day.

Damon tucked the blanket closer to the baby's face and stroked his soft cheek with the pad of his thumb. Stefan was almost out and if they were to have any fun he hoped he would sleep at least most of the way there. If he woke much more now they would probably have to start over with mommy nursing him again and another diaper change and then maybe he would sleep, but who knew for sure.

The soft, soothing music of their baby's favorite song drifted through the air and Damon saw his eyes falling more closed before the light green orbs opened fast again at a small sound from down further in another room that must have startled him. Daddy Damon adjusted the soother quickly so he would settle back down and hopefully not wake up more.

The song was still a winner in getting Stef to sleep. But he wasn't in his daddy's arms right now and being rocked in the car seat was hardly the same as being held against Damon's chest, with his son's head in his hand as they danced around the room at night. However in order to leave for the afternoon, this was the only way.

Damon ran his free hand through his raven hair and almost knocked his sunglasses off his head to go clattering to the floor. He grabbed them and placed them on the table beside the door before daring to peek back in the car seat.

Was this going to work? He mumbled a silent plea under his breath that just this once things would align for them to get out and enjoy the sunshine. He unbuttoned the top few buttons of his crisp white button down shirt, rolled up the long sleeves over his tanned arms and shifted his jean clad long legs to rock the baby with his other leg as he heard more loud sucking coming from the car seat.

Stefan was fighting the sleep but daddy was not giving up that easily. Not with such a bright and sunshiny day out with his two most favorite people in the world just ahead of them, if he could get his son to give in.

He had made plans for his and Elena's birthdays which fell through with baby Stefan having a fever and then teething for the next week and hating it. Damon's heart went out to their tiny son and him trying to get relief from his aching gums on anything he could. He had rocked him more, for hours at night and held the little teethers for the baby to suck on to try to relax. Even Elena nursing him had been rough that week and he seemed to be hitting a growth spurt too and unless Damon was rocking him he wanted his mommy to nurse him constantly.

So their birthdays had come and gone with barely a tender kiss between them in their exhaustion with all that their baby was dealing with.

Once the tooth was out life went back to a more easy going normal and Damon did what he could to make up for the hours he had been away from the restaurant and helped out there as much as he could anytime Elena and his sunshine were asleep. He had started calling him that because of his silky baby soft blonde hair and the nickname stuck and even Elena had started calling Stefan daddy's sunshine too.

After a long day Damon would crawl into their bed and nuzzle in against his gorgeous wife and sleep would claim him instantly till the shrill cries of their son announced another meal was expected later that night.

He had tried again with Mother's Day to surprise his love with a day just them and again invited Caroline to babysit. He planned to take Elena out on a trip down memory lane to all the places that meant something to their love and to show her how much she meant to him, especially knowing his wife was still not feeling in any way beautiful after giving birth and all that her body had been through.

Caroline had taken Stefan from his arms and out the door after Elena had nursed him late that morning and his wife had closed her eyes again as she lay on her side of the bed, curled into the pillow. She was wearing a silky purple nightgown and he stripped off his shirt and jeans to snuggle in and cradle her against his chest. Just for a minute, he thought and then they would pack up and head out to their date.

Damon's heavy blue eyes closed as he inhaled his wife's scent. What was purely his _Elena_ smell was now normally mixed with the odor of breast milk and sweat and all things baby and yet he still was so soothed by her arms around his waist, her head against his beating human heart. Her hair fell in tumbles of brunette locks all down his shoulder and side as he felt her breathing deeper.

A few minutes became hours and he only awoke to the sound of Stefan crying and felt a dampness on his bare chest. Elena jolted awake too and grabbed for a towel nearby to wipe up the milk that had leaked, despite the nursing pads that usually soaked it up.

It was nearly dark outside and he had wondered how long they had slept. As she shifted against him he felt how rock solid her breasts were and he knew she had said she wanted to pump halfway through their date which they had very clearly not left for at all.

Caroline had come in a few minutes later holding their baby, bottle between his chubby fingers as he slurped it up fast, his little legs kicking in the cute overall set she had him in. His sister in law had said she didn't want to disturb them both and had taken Stefan to the park and he napped in the stroller and Auntie Care let the exhausted mommy and daddy catch up on some much needed sleep, thinking they needed that more than a date out.

Damon did admit he felt amazing after hours of uninterrupted sleep curled in against his wife. It had been the best sleep he had had in months and yet there went his plans for their date...again.

After that night he decided to not try to plan anything at least for awhile. They obviously needed the sleep more than anything else and he was glad to see more light in his Lena's brown eyes after such a peaceful day sleeping in his arms. So anytime they had free time he would make sure to ask her if she would just like to sleep while Stefan slept and 9 times out of 10 that was what they did.

Last weekend Elena had made him breakfast in bed for his very first Father's day and had brought their little boy into his daddy's arms with the cutest little onesie on. It said 'I Love My Daddy to the Moon and Back' in bright blue letters on the white diaper shirt showing a moon hanging in a starlit sky.

His sunshine had given him the cutest little smile and made bubbles with his mouth giggling as Damon held him before Elena poked piece of pancake to pop it into her husband's mouth. Damon was in awe of his wife literally feeding him breakfast as she sat in his lap, their son between them, her long legs smooth and bare since she had worn his favorite short and tank PJ set that he loved.

Those lazy mornings in bed with the love of his life and his son were some of the best times of his crazy long life and he treasured them, feeling his heart clench in happiness thinking back. They had managed a few minutes in the shower alone that morning on Father's day with Stefan dozing in the bouncy chair just outside the door too before he woke up crying and ended up sharing the shower with them.

The new father had all but given up on anything more than quickie sex with his brunette beauty. They had tried multiple times for longer intimate times together. A long soak in the tub, shower sex against the wall or even middle of the night when one of them was awake after putting the baby to bed.

But the near zombie parents had opted for the quickest way to make love and get that much needed sleep instead. Damon had even backed off a few weeks longer than the doctor said because it had been painful the first time they had tried again after she was healed up and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, ever.

So they had enjoyed sleeping, curled up into each other or the odd quickie but even then Elena had always wanted the lights off and would be under the covers, hiding her body with the blankets. He wished he knew what to do about her insecurity about her body.

Maybe this trip to the beach would help. He had laid out his favorite 2 piece of hers, a bright rich red bikini and hoped she would wear it for him, despite how he knew she felt about herself.

* * *

Damon had almost fallen asleep as he had been rocking the car seat on the floor now with his boot. His mind had taken him through so many memories of the last few months as he waited patiently for his son to give in and sleep. He kept the blanket up so the little human baby couldn't see him as he rocked the seat back and forth. He knew if Stefan saw him now, he might fully wake up and they wouldn't leave for sure.

Ocean blue eyes flew open as he felt _her_ palm against his cheek. He moaned at the feeling and leaned into her hand. He loved it when she cradled his face so gently like she was holding a cloud in her tiny hand.

"Mmm, missed you," he mumbled softly, turning to kiss her palm, as his eyes took in her soft smile as she was kneeling in front of him. "I would have helped if there was more to get ready baby..." But Elena put her finger against his parted lips.

She shook her head and nodded to the car seat and the sounds of a very deeply sleeping baby within. "You did, Damon. You got him to sleep and after the morning we had and the night too. You are my hero for that."

His lopsided grin of pride he saw, made her visibly shiver and he ran his one hand slowly up her arm and trailed a lone digit on her skin above her breasts, across the hem of the white cover up she was wearing. His azure eyes were wide and dilated, getting darker by the second as he looked from her own chocolate eyes down to her lips and then at the hitch in her breath his head bent lower. With a low groan Damon placed a kiss against the hollow of her throat. He heard the bags she had carried to the door fall quietly to the tiled floor beside the car seat and his smile widened.

Elena wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers sinking into the silky strands of his dark hair as he continued to rain tender, light kisses along her collarbone to her bare shoulders as he tugged the fabric down a bit. To his delight he saw she was wearing the red bikini, just hidden by the white, silky long tank style dress.

His lips thrummed against her soft skin and he felt Elena's one hand slide down to grip his shoulder to steady herself in her knelt position.

Damon wanted more...he would never get enough of her...he knew that to the depths of his soul. But lately any and all connection they had had either been when they were half asleep, holding their baby between them or having their angel just wake up from either a sharp burp, dirty diaper or gas. It was always something.

This moment, right now he wanted to claim for them, for her. To show her how much his whole being ached in missing her like this, in his arms.

Damon's arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her up off the floor and into his lap on the bench as he leaned back against the wall behind him. He groaned into her neck as he felt her body nestled so perfectly against his. His hips moved up just slightly, grinding against her as her legs curled to the sides of his thighs.

She was wearing the cutest white cut off shorts under the white dress and his one palm slid up the silky smooth skin of her calf to her thigh before gliding up stealthily under the cover up and over her bottom to knead the bare skin of her hip with his fingers.

Elena whimpered as he crushed his lips to hers, his other hand cradling her head, his fingers buried in her hair to keep her lips on his. She didn't need any sort of pressure from him to stay in his embrace and keep kissing him. Her body was saying she wanted it as much as he did. She tugged harder on his dark hair as her mouth hungrily sought more of his.

They kissed lazily, exploring each other mouths with quiet pants and soft moans. It felt like it had been ages since they took the time to simply feel and soak in the peace they gave each other. Damon could hear her whimpers low in her throat, soft so they didn't wake their son and yet full of need and ache for everything he was doing to her.

Their baby's soft little snores could be heard in the car seat as Damon had stopped rocking it with his foot. He decided to take advantage of this rare moment of calm in their life of crazy and give his full attention to his wife, lifting is gaze to seek out hers.

Elena looked radiant, her face flushed, her lips parted and swollen from his kisses. He could feel her shaky breaths on his face as he gazed deep in her chocolate eyes. He had never seen her more beautiful than in that moment.

She looked older, motherhood fitting her like a glove. She wasn't a teenager anymore or a strong immortal vampire either. But she had grown into such a stunning woman, carrying such strength and vibrant passion from all her losses in her life. What they had all been through had brought out her desire to be a doctor and save people one life at a time and make a difference in her patients' stories, their journeys. All she had faced and overcome shaped her into the most incredible woman that he still could not believe was his and his alone.

He wished he could tell her all he had been thinking in that moment. How consumed he was with her.

When they had met on that lonely dark road so long ago he had wanted her to get everything she wanted in her life. But instead of Elena just getting all she wanted, _she_ became everything he had _ever_ dared to dream could be his too. She was his wife and the mother of his baby. They were a family and nothing meant more to him than that.

Damon stood up with his Elena cradled in his arms and felt her legs wrap tight around his waist as he carried her the few steps from the doorway to place her on the top of the island in their kitchen. Her eyes were wide and liquid as he saw her watching him tug the dress still lower and it slipped down to her waist in a flutter of fabric, exposing her smooth and sexy stomach to his hungry stare. He took in a shaky breath at how beautiful she looked in her silky red bikini top.

Her breasts were fuller now after her pregnancy and despite her repeating how much she didn't like how her body changed, he loved every little thing that had brought about their son. He didn't mind her larger breasts at all, or the milk that she was self conscious about. He could see the nursing pads mostly tucked under the cloth and all it meant to him was how much he loved she could feed their son.

She pulled away slightly as his fingers nearly ghosted down her sides and he felt the rippled skin of her stretch marks, the ribbons of torn skin she had gotten from carrying their baby. He didn't know what to say when she did that, pulled away from him.

He was staring deep in her eyes and bit his bottom lip between his teeth before plunging back in to taste more of her kisses. She opened to him without a word and he pulled her body closer to the edge of the island till she was flush with him despite her previous distance. He wanted her to know how much none of that mattered to him and he loved her even more for all she had been through to give them a baby, to make him a dad. But he didn't know what to say so he instead tried desperately to show her how he felt with his lips and his touch.

Elena whimpered softly and he breathed her name as he felt her fingers glide down his chest and began undoing the last few buttons on his white shirt till it hung open, her fingertips dancing over his heated skin and then tug gently on his jeans. He knew when she pulled him in like that that she wanted him and he lifted his eyes to lock with hers, releasing her bottom lip from between his teeth.

His chest was heaving and he could feel the silkiness of the bikini top rub against his bare chest. Her arms wound around his waist and up his back, till her fingers gripped his shoulders from behind, pressing her whole body to him.

Damon was panting. "Now?" he rasped out, his forehead leaned to hers.

It was bright in their kitchen, sunlight streaming down across her gorgeous body. She wanted him here? In the light? She was okay letting him see her like this...finally?

Elena pressed light kisses along his cheek to his jaw, her hands sliding up his bare chest now. "No, take me back to our bed Damon..." Her eyes looked pleading and yet full of want for him. "I need the dark please. Not here, I'm sorry."

He could see the insecurity in her eyes before they fell from his to stare down behind his shoulder. Again he didn't know what to say, but somehow this needed to be addressed. He could feel the mood plummeting by the second. He wanted her to be happy but he hated her thinking that he saw her any differently than before.

The new dad heard the soft snores in the car seat but he knew Stef should not sleep in there like that. It wasn't safe and if he was taking Elena back to their bedroom he should put his son back in his crib first and then they might not go anywhere.

He started pulling back from her and walked back to the door bending down pick up Stefan to tuck him back in his little crib.

But Elena must have mistook his actions for rejection and he saw her jump off the counter, pull her cover up back over her chest and walk forward to pull the door open beside him. She grabbed up the bags of towels and beach stuff and slung the diaper bag on her shoulder.

"Never mind Damon, lets just go."

His heart sunk as he watched her walk out the door. He was just about to tell her that he wanted nothing more than to throw her back in their bed and spend the day like that as long as their son would let them. But instead he just picked up the seat, scooped up his sunglasses and beige fedora, and followed her out the door in silence.

Damon had never worn hats before but he found as a human he kinda liked it. The days the sun was bright in his eyes he enjoyed the option of being more comfortable in the shade it provided. Elena had picked out this hat and thought it was hot on him and that was good enough for him to keep wearing it any chance he could. He left his shirt open, partly cause he was hoping for some I'm sorry's and making out in the car but also cause it was so damn hot out too.

Snapping Stefan in the back, he was grateful his son didn't wake up before closing the door as quietly as he could. Damon sunk down into the drivers seat before turning his head to his love. She was looking out the window, her hair a curtain between them. He wanted to pull her close and tell her everything he was feeling. He opened his mouth, her name on the tip of his tongue, just as their son made a gurgling noise and started to fuss.

Elena spun in the seats, reaching down and Damon heard the sounds of his son sucking hard on his soother again that must have fallen out of his mouth. He wasn't taking any chances with him waking up now and pulled out onto the street. He saw more people heading into his restaurant as they drove away, smiled and waved at one of the employees as they swept the front walkway.

Once they pulled onto the highway towards the coast Damon turned back to his wife. She was still sitting quietly in her seat, her brown eyes scanning the scenery as they past more shops and malls. He felt the cool air from the open windows ruffle his hair and he slipped his hat on his head. Damon's open shirt flapped in the wind as he saw Elena's hair fanning out behind her as she shook her head. He reached tentatively for her hand as they drove and when his fingers closed over hers he felt her squeeze his. She looked up at him, offering a small smile and he did his eye thing at her, before smiling softly and squeezing her hand again.

"Damon, I'm.." she started and he shushed her.

"It's okay baby. I love you Elena. Never ever doubt that." He looked deep in her eyes as they were stopped at a light. "That will never change. Please believe me."

Damon leaned over and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, pulling her hand up with his. He saw her nod slowly and wished he knew what else she was thinking.

"I know we need to talk Damon. About me...I know," she mumbled, her lips a breath away from his. "I know its getting worse."

He nodded, so grateful to hear that at least she was willing to talk about it finally. He didn't want to push her at all and knew that her hormones were still messing with her a lot and she wasn't herself. At least not the Elena he knew before they found out they were expecting. He was so thankful she hadn't gotten any kind of postpartum depression.

"Okay, beautiful," he soothed her with his velvety voice in the tone he knew she loved and rubbed his nose with hers. "Whenever you are ready...I'm here for you."

Elena let out a deep breath and he just waited for her response. "Just not now..." she whispered, her voice falling to a low and seductive tone that sent a shiver down his spine. "Now I just want to kiss you, Damon, please…"

He felt a satisfied rumble in his throat, tilted his head to hers, already opening his mouth to her. "Then kiss me baby," he moaned and she smiled as she moved in, tugging his sexy bottom lip in her mouth.

"Mmm Elena," he groaned as he felt her fingers running over his bare chest before pulling on the sides of the shirt and tugging him hard till her lips were devouring his.

Damon's eyes wanted to fall closed at the feel of her exploring tongue but he saw the light just change and was scared the driver behind him would honk and then wake their finally sleeping son. So he very... _very_ reluctantly pulled back from her body and drove forward through the intersection.

The heat from her words just hung in the humid air as they drove after how hot the kiss became so fast. He hadn't wanted to pull away at all and would never get enough of her kisses. He debated just pulling over on the side of the road to give her whatever she wanted from him but her lips were curled up in a smile and she pulled her sunglasses down over her eyes. Elena snatched his hat from his head and placed on hers, pulling it down and nestled her body in against his side as he drove, so he took that to mean right now they were good. He slid his sunglasses on too, turning his head and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

They drove for over an hour, past Lincoln Park Zoo and a Nature Museum and saw the sandy shoreline once they followed the road by the water. Elena stayed snuggled against him, still safely in her seat belt, resting her head on his shoulder, her arm around his as they drove in comfortable silence. He loved times like this, just driving...the world whipping by them both, while his girl was nestled in beside him.

* * *

Damon finally pulled onto the parking lot of Montarose Beach, nearly an hour an a half from when they had left. He found them a space further away from the shore but in the shade of a few large trees to keep his precious Camero at least a little cooler by the time they got back.

The beach was bustling with activity. Kids squealing, and running, groups of people playing volleyball, another few passed a Frisbee across the sand. Damon saw families huddled up on blankets having snacks, more people building sandcastles and so many people swimming or dunking and floating in the clear blue water.

The sun was peeking out from behind a cloud, yet still offering some shade on the wide expanse of beach as the couple made their way down from the parking lot to the soft sand below. Their son was still sleeping and had been the whole drive over thankfully. The blanket still hiding the sun from his little eyes as his daddy carried him down the boardwalk. Damon would have held Elena's hand too as they walked to find a place to lay in the sand but there was too much to carry down to the beach between the two of them.

They found a secluded spot near the edge of the water and more away from the rowdier people and loud squeals of young toddlers playing. Damon put the car seat down just as Stefan let out a loud cry. He was awake and most likely hungry. Mommy was kneeling down and unbuckling him right away to lift him into her arms. Their son's little fingers clung to Elena's hair as she held him, watching him blink at the bright sunlight.

Damon spread out the large blanket and passed his wife the diaper bag and she quickly changed the squirming baby. She left him in just his swim diaper before pushing down the white cover up, tugging part of her bikini top aside and pulling him to her breast. Elena took Damon's favorite hat off her head and shook her hair back behind her, keeping most of it out of the baby's reach as he noisily enjoyed his lunch.

They had already put the sunscreen on Stef before they left but Damon knew neither of them had applied any back at the loft. He watched his wife adjusting their son and making faces at him as his little eyes were wide and focused on hers as he nursed, a lock of her hair clutched tight in his tiny fist.

Damon unbuttoned his jeans and slipped them down his muscled thighs and cast her a quick glance to see if she was watching him at all. He saw her eyes drift from their baby's to lock on him and he smirked at her as he kicked off his jeans and boots. Sitting down he took off his socks too and let his feet sink into the sand at the edge of the blanket.

He was wearing dark, navy blue board shorts that he knew were her favorite on him and hung really low on his hips. He had seen the look in her eyes when he would saunter all sexy toward her letting them slip lower with each step. Damon had bought them on their honeymoon in Barbados and knew she loved it every time he wore them. She had told him too how much she loved any kind of blue on him and that it made his eyes sparkle. He left the white shirt on but still open, enjoying the cool air on his bare chest.

He saw Elena watching him and he gave her his best 'I'm happy' love look as she smiled at him before shaking his hair back and leaning his face up into the sunshine warming him. It felt perfect to be there with his family.

The clouds faded away, the sun feeling warmer on his skin and he moved back to the bag and scooped up the sun screen. Damon took a few minutes rubbing it all over his chest, stomach, arms and legs, making sure to give his human face and neck a light coating too to keep his skin from the high UV rating of the day. Protecting his skin was sure new to the 179 year old ex vampire, but it was all natural lotion so it was safe for Stef to get in his mouth if that happened too. He held it up to her and she nodded to him while pulling the cover up till it was at her waist again, as she sat their son up to pat his back to burp him.

Damon moved in closer, sitting back down and spread his legs on either side of his wife's and gently swept her hair more to one side. He scooped up his hat from the blanket and tucked her hair in it, to keep it out of the way, before his lips fell to place a soft kiss on the warm skin he uncovered. He heard the softest moan as her head fell back against his shoulder as she lifted Stef to the other shoulder right across from his daddy as she rubbed his back more.

Damon made cute faces at his son as he saw those curious and very new green eyes locked on his as he started to rub the sun screen into the soft skin of Elena's back. They had only started to change from the blue he was born with to the brightest green in the last few weeks. Stef smiled and giggled at his daddy before letting out a big burp. His mommy pulled him back down and he nursed happily again as Damon rubbed lower down her back with the lotion.

He was enjoying touching every inch of skin he could and untied the thin bottom ribbon of red fabric of her bikini top to let it fall open. His wife gasped out, his name falling from her lips in her surprise of likely how daring he was being. They were in public, anyone could see them and that made his exploring hands even more eager for more of her.

A half smirk pulled at his lips at his playfulness. Damon kissed along the side of her neck while his hands still rubbed lower down her back and along the bare skin of her sides with the lotion.

Part of him loved that she was busy and focused on feeding their baby so she couldn't stop him from enjoying her body. He was grinning at her look of shock back at him followed by a scolding raise of her eyebrow. He shot her a sulky look, his lips set in a full on pout before tying the ribbon back up and proceeding to rub lower, moving to her shapely waist and hips.

Damon slipped his lotion slicked hands down beneath the dress pooled at her hips and along the edges of her shorts, rubbing her skin between his fingers, massaging what he knew were tired muscles from how much she held Stef in her arms and the pressure it put on her lower back.

He covered her arms with more lotion and slid his hands to the front of her collarbone and rubbed slowly across her chest, making sure every inch of skin was lightly coated with the sunscreen before moving his hands back up her neck.

She looked to be done feeding their baby and had burped him again, his little sunshine now sitting happily in her lap, his toes kicking the air above the blanket they were on. Elena turned her head back to her husband and he took that moment to rub lotion on her cute little nose and along her cheeks and forehead as she sighed in his arms.

Damon shifted to move to sit in front of her, his long legs still wide spread so his wife and son were in the shade of his lean body. Squeezing more lotion out he rubbed it up and down her long silky smooth legs, his hands molding her skin as he slid them up her thighs and back down.

He could see he was affecting her a lot more than he planned. Who knew sun screen could be so sexy? The raven haired human didn't want to stop touching her, at all... but their little one was starting to try to crawl closer and his little hands gripped his daddy's shorts and pulled to get closer to him.

Damon saw those bright eyes gazing up at him as Stef squirmed and climbed further up his daddy's chest, his little hands gripping the white shirt tight. Damon wiped the last of the lotion on his hands on his bare leg and scooped his son into his arms. The little blonde boy was pointing to the water so close by and making more burbling sounds in his excitement.

Elena took the time he saw to straighten her cover up back over her chest and didn't seem to notice Damon stick out his lip again that he thought she should take it all the way off. He had to somehow get her to believe she was still so beautiful to him. She unbuttoned and slipped the shorts down her legs to kick them off at least and slipped off her sandals.

Then she squirted more lotion on her hands and walked around them to rub it on Damon's back slowly, slipping her hands under his thin shirt. He loved how well she took care of him and their son. He could not imagine life without her. They had hardly spoken the last while but said so much with their eyes on each other. The heat growing between them with each smouldering look leveled at each other.

Elena grabbed the waterproof camera from their bag and snapped a perfect picture of Damon with his handsome son snuggled up on his shoulder right by his head.

"Smile for the camera sweetie," Elena called out and both Damon and their son gave her the sweetest smile for the camera.

"Which sweetie did you mean E-lena?" Damon smirked at her, smiling even wider, his blue eyes sparkling against the water in the background.

Elena beamed back and stuck out her tongue. "I think we both know which sweetie I meant _Damon_. You two are so cute!" He grinned again, waggling his eyebrows before scrunching up his face in pain as Stefan grabbed hard at a lock of Damon's hair trying to get it into his mouth. The laughs and smiles of the next few pictures were priceless.

Their baby had pulled up and was practically gumming his daddy's cheek and chin in his sloppy wet mouth as he hung onto his hair tight. Damon tossed his sunglasses down in the bag to avoid Stef breaking them and then he stood up and put their little boys toes in the sand for the first time.

Elena was beaming and laughing as she snapped more pictures as Stefan gripped his daddy's fingers tight in his whole hand and his chubby legs took one step and then two with Damon holding him up, his little feet sinking into the soft sand. His tiny toes were getting covered in the small granules and he wiggled them up and down.

"That's it little guy. Hold on tight. You're walking!" Damon cooed to his son, his voice full of pride.

He saw the look of awe on his wife's face as she snapped more pictures. "What's spinning in that pretty little head, baby?" he dared to ask for her thoughts.

She beamed at him, her smile so wide and pure and free. "I'm happy Damon. This, us, right here, the sand between our toes and the sun shining down...is perfect. Thank you for planning this day babe."

He beamed back at her and scooped their son in his arms and strode closer, his bare feet sinking with each step. "You are so welcome. I love you so much Lena," he breathed against her cheek, his head in the shade from his hat still on her head, that only a few tendrils of her hair escaped from to get swept in the wind.

"I love you too Damon," she whispered back to him, her tone just as breathless. Stefan squirmed against his daddy's chest as Damon leaned in to capture her lips in a passionate kiss that he felt left her trembling against him.

They kissed slowly and deeply, enjoying each other, arms slowly intertwining, bodies moving together like music was playing. Their baby lay in their arms between them as their mouths moved hungrily, tasting, aching and sweetly exploring each other like they had been back at the loft before they left. The same heat was growing between them, breaths raspy and bodies trembling.

Elena cried out suddenly as their son had grabbed for the hat and managed to take a few locks mommy's hair in his tiny fist along with it. They both laughed at him trying to climb higher in their arms still holding tight to his daddy's shirt in his other hand. Elena put the hat on Stef's head and it fell forward hiding his cute little smile from them as he giggled again and he lifted it up and Damon played peekaboo with him, each time kissing him on the nose as he found him.

Damon laughed deep in his throat as Stef kept pushing his sandy feet up is dad's bare stomach. "I think my sunshine wants a kiss too. Don't you little man?" Daddy pulled the hat back so that it was centered on his sons little head as their boy pulled up higher between them, his mouth wide open before he sucked his little hand into it.

The two smiling parents kissed him on both cheeks, squishing his little chubby face. He giggled and Elena held up the camera and they did it again, both of them looking in the camera as it clicked as they kissed his cheeks again.

Baby Salvatore turned more and grabbed his daddy's cheeks and smushed his wide open mouth on his lips before giggling again, the hat falling from his head. Damon's eyes were wide with surprise and he tickled his son as Elena snapped that picture too and was smiling so happily at them.

They put him back down on the sand, Damon shrugging out of his shirt and tossing it to their blanket nearby. Stefan crawled away from him, his hands sinking in the sand. He was so full of smiles and baby sounds and pulled himself up to sitting right beside the fedora again and grabbed it between his fingers before letting it go and laughing again. He crawled quickly back toward Damon's wide open arms, his eyes squinting at the bright sun..

Stefan then held his daddy's fingers and toddled across the soft sand toward the water. Elena was walking backwards down the beach, and Stefan was humming and burbling as he chased after her.

"Come to mommy!" Elena was calling him as he walked shakily closer.

His little squeal as his toes first felt the water was high pitched and he jumped a little, splashing the water over his feet, giggling and watching the water rush up and down again. Damon was in awe of the joy on his son's face as well as his wife's as she took more pictures and he nodded to switch and passed their boy to her so he could take the camera.

Elena sat down at the waters edge with their son landing on his swim diaper between her crossed legs. He was laughing and squealing as he hit the water with his little hands and kicked his feet in the sticky sand.

They sat like that, Stefan in mommy's lap as the water rushed over them both and Damon loved the surprised shrieks from her that it was really cold! He laughed and zoomed the camera in closer to her, capturing the beauty of her face; her wide open mouth, the sweet curve of her lips, her brown eyes reflecting so many shades of browns and golds in the sunlight as she laughed as the water rushed back over them.

Their son was loving it and didn't seem cold in the least. He splashed the water with his little hands and shook his head back anytime he got water on his face. Elena leaned in closer, standing their little guy up on his wobbly legs and gave Damon a sweet soft smile as he snapped a picture of both of them their heads together as Stefan grabbed his mommy's hair again.

Damon tossed the camera back on the blanket and helped his wife up from the sand while she cradled their son against her chest. He saw her slip the cover up off, throwing it to the blanket just before they waded in, her husband's strong chest at her back, his arms around her as the water got deeper. Once it was at Stefan's toes just under Elena's chest they stopped and let him kick at it again before wading deeper. Damon slid around in front of them and held Elena in his arms as she held their baby in hers.

The moment was beautiful, the soft waves, the warmth of the sun on their skin, the rush of hunger he felt for her anytime she was in his embrace, the quiet babbling sounds of their son as he was so excited by all the new sensations of the water and the waves against his little body.

Elena's eyes closed and she lay her head on Damon's bare chest as he held them and floated in the ocean. He was careful not to let the waves get too high near his son's face as he treasured their closeness against him. He held his little family like that for a few minutes before hearing more sleepy sounds coming from the his sunshine. Of course all this excitement would be tiring him out.

It felt amazing being there, being human, enjoying the sun and the smell of summer with his family. He brushed a kiss to his wife's hair as he cradled her and his son in his arms.

Perfect didn't even begin to describe it…and the day wasn't nearly over...

 **Please take a minute to let me know what you thought...**

 **I love being a part of keeping DE alive and giving you the visual of their amazing human life together the best I can. There will be a part 2 to this story yet too posted soon. The time at the beach isn't over yet and maybe just maybe I could give them some alone time too... what do you think?**


	2. We Can Get Through Anything Together

Elena rocked baby Stefan and he sounded like he was almost asleep as they floated in the water. She felt such calm in her heart and mind as the waves gently lapped up and down against their bodies. Damon's smooth, hard chest, his arms around her and their baby made him feel like a wall of safety around them.

He was theirs, for the rest of her human life and she was in awe of his strength, despite being a vampire and all the power that had given him. His human strength, his character, the way he loved her and was _so_ in love with their baby and how he worked _so_ hard to be the best husband and father he could be, paled in comparison to his previous self.

She rested in the familiar calm of those strong arms around her, allowing the stresses of the day to fade away; hoping Stefan would sleep enough, rushing to pack up everything, racing in her head to not forget anything they needed for their first trip to the beach as a family of 3.

Elena had been worried, on top of everything else about what to wear and trying to push aside her feelings about her body changing so much. The young mother wanted to enjoy this day with her little family and focus on them and not her.

So in that moment with Damon's arms around her, she shut her eyes and let it all go. All the stress and worry and fatigue of the last few days or even weeks that she had been holding on and being strong.

Before she realized it Elena had tears slipping down her face, the small drops sliding down in tiny trails. Her emotions had been so up and down the last few months. Mainly once Stefan started teething and how much harder it had been to get him to sleep. She had even told Damon things were great some nights when they were far from it, just to get him to stay at work when she knew they needed him just as much at home. She knew he had known and could always see it on her face when she was struggling with anything, but the two parents were always too exhausted to talk about it or they tried and were interrupted by their baby's needs coming first.

Elena had tried to mimic Damon's amazing ability to put their son to sleep. She loved the cuddle times with Stef and would treasure just holding him to her chest as she rocked. With the sound machine on she would hold their baby for hours when he wasn't happy, nursing and rocking him to his favorite song.

She knew she should have told her husband how hard some of those nights had been, being awake for so long, or even barely sleeping when he did cause he was sleeping on her and she was scared of him squirming and falling. Or if they were laying down she was scared of rolling on him. She was worried too of nursing him and falling asleep and him not being able to breath. Elena worried about anything and everything and yet still wanted to be strong and push through it and show Damon that she could take care of Stefan by herself. After all she was the one that was home on leave from work and he still had the business to run. She knew his job was important too and he couldn't just take off from the restaurant anytime she called.

Elena sniffled up the tears the second she felt them on her cheek and moved to wipe them away. But her husband bent down, spinning around gently to face her in the water. His gorgeous blue eyes looked full of questions as she shook her head, her eyes falling to their sleeping son. Damon was silent in his inquisition but she knew he would ask her about it. She couldn't hide and pretend nothing was wrong. He knew her too well and she loved that about him. She knew he had let it go too many times already seeing her like this. And he would ask her what else he could do, even if he hated the answer, because he loved her and wanted her to be happy.

Carefully Damon helped her stay steady as they made their way out of the water and back up the beach. Kneeling down she draped the thinnest baby blanket on their angel as Damon quickly popped open the little sun shade they had brought and set it up around all three of them. She made a make shift bed of towels and a few soft blankets that she motioned silently for Damon to lay on the floor of the little tent as she cradled the baby against her shoulder, careful not to move too much.

Elena slowly laid their tired sweetheart down, covering him with only the thinnest blanket. He was holding the corner tight in his little fist and before he could open his eyes more Elena gave him his soother as she rubbed his tummy. He was out faster than at home, his deeper breaths could he heard from where she had laid down beside him, his little feet kicking off the blanket and pressed against her face as she kissed his toes as his eyes fell closed. The young mom let out a deep breath herself seeing that moving him to the blankets had not woken him much and she was so glad.

She knew her and Damon needed to talk. And if their baby was actually giving them time then now was as good a time as any. Her husband had stayed quiet as they got Stefan settled but now was laying down on his side, his arm propping up his head and she knew he was waiting for her.

Elena swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing she was going to make this worse first, but did it anyway and reached in their bag, pulling out a black sheer printed type dress and slipped it over her head, hiding her body from him...again.

She didn't miss the frustrated sigh that escaped her husband's parted lips but he didn't say anything, at least right then as she leaned up checking on Stef again, pulling the blanket more over his bare legs that had kicked it off before.

Damon snuggled in behind her even as she was still focused on their baby and brushed feather light kisses down her neck, and across her collarbone, above the dress that now prevented him from kissing further down her bare body. Elena felt her breath catch as he pulled the dress down kissing along her spine till he had to let go and reluctantly kiss her on top of the sheer fabric. His hands slid down her bare arms to cradle her waist as she lay on her side away from him.

She shut her eyes slowly, knowing what he wanted and it wasn't to kiss her through her dress, especially at the beach. She scrunched up her face, mad at herself and her actions before turning around to face the puzzled expression on her husband's handsome face.

He smiled, like the kind and understanding man he was, even though Elena could see that this was hard on him too. Her very clear insecurities were taking center stage and there was no baby to distract her from finally talking to him about this, and she knew he was waiting for her to bring it up.

They stared at each other silently for a minute, Elena struggling to begin a conversation they should have had a long time ago.

"See I told you he would love it," Damon whispered, breaking the silence, but not with what they needed to talk about. He glanced above their heads and she saw Stefan's arms had fallen back, his hands open in peaceful sleep. When Elena looked back down she saw Damon's eyes searching hers.

The brunette was nodding and smiling in agreement, her fingers up stroking her husband's cheek, playing in the hair at the base of his neck. "He did. I'm just so glad we could get him to sleep."

Damon smoothed a lock of her wet hair from her cheek, his eyes so wide, the blue just a thin rimmed circle from his pupils that was full and dark. "Mmm hmm, me too," he groaned, leaned in, dipping his tongue between her lips, spinning her under him on the blanket.

She whimpered, tasting him and tugging at his hair by his ear before she pulled his head down harder, kissing him back just as hungrily. Elena knew he was testing her, to see what she would let him do. She wanted to let go and just let his hands explore. She wanted him to see her in the light and felt a shiver down her spine as his warm palm slid down her side, His other hand held his full weight off her and he slowly edged the sheer dress up over her hips, his fingers featherlight on the bare skin he found.

She could do it. She knew this had _nothing_ to do with doubting his love at all. It was all her. She was the one that didn't like what pregnancy had done to her. She didn't even fully believe her own head and thoughts. Her hormones were making everything so much more complicated.

Maybe it had nothing to do with her body at all? Maybe this was just the rambling thoughts of her hormones and exhaustion talking. But despite her determination to let him explore her, she did stiffen slightly at his touch and he pulled back.

Elena watched him shake his wet hair from his eyes before leaning to rest his forehead to hers. "Tell me..." he breathed against her cheek. "You know there is never anything that would change how much I love you. So _please_ talk to me...What can I do?" he pleaded, his eyes wide and focused on hers.

She drew in a deep breath knowing she had to open up to him. "I don't know what you can do Damon," she whimpered. "I believe you. I do know you love me. I don't doubt that at all. It's me. I'm struggling to accept my new normal. At least the normal I am now. I trust you Damon. But then I see 'this' when I get out of the shower or now out of the ocean and all the stupid insecurities come rushing back."

Elena sat up, slow enough not to disturb the sleeping infant but fast enough for Damon to startle before he sat up too. She proceeded to shove the sheer dress till just below her chest and show her husband the ribbons of broken skin along the sides of her belly and how squishy and wrinkled her whole stomach was. She knew he had seen it a few times but she had covered up with a towel quickly or a blanket or she loved wearing his shirts and they were always long enough to hide any of her stretch marks. This was the first time she was letting him explore her changed body in the light of day.

Damon had always been careful, more tender in touching her there anytime they had been intimate in the dark in their bed, but now she was finally letting him see her, trusting him with her fears as unfounded as she herself thought they were.

She looked up into his wide blue eyes as he slowly pulled her in to kiss the crown of her head. She watched him move back and shift his body lower til he was hovering above her bare stomach. His finger traced lightly over one of the thicker, white lines in her skin at the side of her hip. Elena was watching him and she felt her heart racing more at his touch, but this time she didn't pull away.

They needed to talk too but letting him touch and kiss her there was saying a lot without words and she knew it.

She loved that he was being so sensitive and understanding of her crazy emotions and insecurities. He used to tell her straight out how he felt about anything. They could be raw and honest and real with each other and she loved that about them.

But this baby and all the changes in her had made her more sensitive and she was so glad he understood that and didn't view it as a weakness. He knew she felt different about herself and he wasn't going to just call her on it the way they used to talk.

Damon lowered his mouth down to the whitish skin that spread from her belly and down her hip and thigh. His eyes were on hers like he had a thousand things to say at the moment but instead of uttering a single word, his lips fell to tenderly kiss the damaged skin, following its path down her body.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and to her surprise she wasn't pulling away from his tongue on her scars. It felt good, cleansing, like a release of pain that was let free to soar up into the clouds never to find her again. Her one hand slid down from his forehead to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear, before gripping the back of his neck and actually pulled his mouth closer against her skin.

Anytime he would try to kiss her there before, even in the dark she would pull him back up to her mouth and not let him continue. She would distract him by even going down on him and making him writhe and moan at the feel of her mouth on him. He always tried again the next time but wordlessly she pulled him back up and he let her, till today he finally said something about her pulling away from him.

Elena didn't realize how much she missed him exploring, tasting and kissing her all over. It felt incredible and she let out a moan of bliss. Her eyes still watched him as he kissed down till where the mark was hidden under her bikini bottom before lifting his head, moving back up to her stomach to kiss and suck another mark between his lips. Her fingers clenched behind his head as he repeated the tender ministrations till every mark on both sides of her hips and belly had been taken in his mouth and lovingly tended to.

Some of her scars even felt sensitive and tingled where his mouth had fallen, while others were slightly painful when he sucked on them. But she was proud that she hadn't pulled away and instead let him revel in her. Seeing the peace and contentment on his face made any little bit of fear that tried to creep back up melt away at the feel of his kisses.

Their baby was still sound asleep above their heads and she swallowed thickly as he finished kissing the last stretch mark before trailing his lips slowly back up from her thigh, pausing to suck in the skin of her bellybutton. They had some privacy with the sun shade covering them unless someone walked right up in front of them but she knew he wasn't going to be in any way inappropriate on a public beach. They were responsible now and she didn't even like being intimate with their baby in the same room.

Damon's soft voice floated through the air, his words barely a whisper against her skin. "You feel incredible Elena. Your skin tastes salty and yet so fucking sweet on my tongue." He trailed kisses all around her belly, his lips peppering the loose wrinkly skin with more kisses. "Thank you for letting me be with you like this again." His eyes were locked on hers as his tongue darted out again. "I missed you," he breathed against her belly.

Elena felt her throat dry and she struggled to swallow, feeling the heat of his gaze on her in that moment. She nodded wordlessly, biting into her bottom lip before she pulled her eyes from his, her head falling back as his fingers pulled her belly up closer to his lips.

This was what they needed.. what she needed. She needed to trust him and that nothing would _ever_ change how much he loved her. She knew too that these marks could be like stripes of honor and she had heard other women say they wore them with pride. She wanted to feel that way and knew it probably would only take time.

Watching Damon, with his mouth, his tongue on her loose and wrinkly belly with his eyes closed in what looked like pure bliss, was everything she needed. That image was washing away the worry and the fears like the waves she could see washing up and down on the shore in front of her.

* * *

Damon wanted to soothe her fears. He believed her that it wasn't about him. He had read a few postpartum books himself during some of those long nights holding their baby asleep in his arms. He knew everything she was feeling was normal and would just take time to overcome. Her body was flooded with hormones and had been through one of the most challenging experiences a human could survive.

Waiting, being patient and letting her come back to him at her own pace was all he could do. He had tried to reassure her by kissing down her body, telling her he loved her whenever they had the rare time to be intimate. But she had to love herself again and come to her own conclusions in her time.

His beautiful wife had winced and pulled back the first time he had kissed her breast and even tasting the milk and he saw her cringe that he would hate it. He had to admit it was different and new but nursing was a decision they both were more than happy with and it was a part of her. He had shown her that he was okay with the changes, the new tastes that were _his_ girl.

Now however she had after more than 6 months let him kiss and pay attention to the parts of her that had changed. He was in awe of her strength and could see the worry in her eyes still but she was fighting it and trusting him despite it. She did not know how strong she really was and he was _so_ happy to be a part of this journey with her.

Sure physically she had changed, emotionally too and it was all to bring his precious son into this world. Her body still called to him just as it had before they went on this crazy and even unplanned journey to become human parents. He could feel each shiver and every movement she made. He reveled in being able to see her like this and touch her in the light of day.

Damon focused his heavy lidded gaze on her belly now and not her eyes, taking in the soft and squishy loose skin that had accommodated their baby. He kissed and sucked all over her now flatter belly that had been so full with his baby barely half a year ago, till that cold winter Christmas night.

He was in heaven that she was _finally_ allowing him to worship her body the way he loved to do and had missed so much. Damon heard her sigh and he lifted his eyes to lock back onto hers as he kissed up the salty skin in the valley between her breasts. He held his weight off her, leaning mostly on his side and had slowly tugged the lace cover up higher as he kissed her.

Now he had paused, his eyes seeking answers from her, answers he needed so badly so that he knew what she was thinking about what he had just done. They needed to talk. He knew it would help, she just had to trust him in that too.

"Elena," he breathed out finally not being able to take another second of the heavy silence between them. He could count on his son waking up 9 times out of 10, _anytime_ they needed to talk about something this important, but to his surprise Stefan was still sleeping deeply.

"Elena, please..." he pleaded, his eyes locked on hers. She swallowed thickly again.

"Damon, can you just...hold me..." she began, her voice trembling.

He nodded instantly. "You never have to ask Elena. I'm always here, however you need me." Damon moved up closer, lifting his arm and pulled her in against his chest. She sat up more first and pulled the cover up over her head to toss it aside, before leaning back down and slipping in under his shoulder. She whimpered as she buried her head against the hard planes of his muscles. He felt her hand slide across his stomach to curl around his body.

They were laying on the blanket, and Damon could feel the warm sand between his toes. She hadn't pulled a towel over her or wrapped her shirt or anything to hide her body from him and just lay there in her red bikini, her body curled in against his.

His mind was racing. It was such a huge step that she let him see the stretch marks and the wrinkled loose skin on her belly; what pregnancy did to her young body. And now she was laying against him in nothing but her bikini. She was slowly coming back to him.

Damon knew nothing physical that had changed had to be permanent, if she didn't want it to be. They both could exercise more and go for walks and she could have fit into her jeans that she loved the most again.

He had seen her angrily and tearfully toss them in the closet one day when he was supposed to be at work but he didn't bring it up, slipping back down the hall before she saw him. He wasn't about to push her at all about anything. They both hardly got any sleep as it was and exercise and even the thought of getting up earlier sounded insane right now.

Eating better too was a far cry from reality when after a long night of rocking Stefan or dealing with his next new tooth or projectile vomiting took all their energy. Then a bowl of cereal was sometimes all the energy either of them could muster.

Sure he could get her food from the restaurant more often too and he did when he could but he knew there was more important things than eating better and staying fit right now. Namely the little boy snoring just above their heads.

He actually thought he might have put on a few pounds lately, the horror! He had stifled the chuckle he felt building in his throat. Drinking now too was not just going right through him like it had when he was a vampire. So he was seeing some ever so slight changes in his human body too. Just not as drastically as she saw with herself.

He took in a deep breath and determined to at least try to say something that would reassure her. "Elena, can you look at me?" He felt her shifting around in his embrace till her glassy eyes met his. She was quiet but he knew she was doing her best with all of this. He had even began stroking up and down her side as he held her and she hadn't pulled his hand back from her body. He began to absently draw circles on the skin of her lower back as she looked up at him.

"Elena do you think I see you differently?" His voice was soft and he hoped soothing as he gazed deep in her eyes.

She bit her lip and slowly nodded her head at him with a resigned sigh. " _I_ see myself differently, so there is this _stupid_ doubt, these thoughts that I constantly push away that I think you might. I know it's stupid, I do."

He let out a deep breath and stroked his finger down her cheek. "I don't see what you see baby. I see you." he said with a hint of frustration in his tone. He wanted her to hear him and see past her tired, defeated thoughts.

"I see that you gave up your body to make room for our child. We have 'our sunshine' because of you and all those nights and mornings throwing up, all the pain and swollen ankles and sore muscles, you always said were worth it cause we would have a baby soon. And we did." He put the finger under her chin and tilted it up so they could both see their baby sleeping soundly above them.

He pulled his body up to sitting, and she sat up with him, her head resting gently on his shoulder as he held her. Her nearly bare back was against his chest and he felt her breath pick up. He moved her hair to one side and pressed his lips to her bare shoulder.

"Elena," he continued, nuzzling his mouth to the hollow of her throat. "I didn't think I could love you more than the night we finally saw each other again after _so_ long when you came back to me from the sleeping beauty curse. But then I loved you _even_ more watching you walk up the aisle to me on our wedding day. And then still more when we found out we were going to have a baby." Her head had leaned to his shoulder and he saw her looking up at him from the corner of his eye.

Damon nuzzled in closer, his lips by her ear. "There was this moment, like it could have been frozen in time. Back at the cabin in the snowstorm when you were holding my hand so tight and then you just fell back in my arms all sweaty and your hair sticking to your face. That moment when you were panting and groaning to push our baby out."

He pressed a kiss to her hair by her ear, breathing heavily. "God Elena, you had never looked more beautiful to me. Right then, fighting all the pain to birth our baby." His mind took him back to that time and he could still see her face, so full of determination and fight awash with the exhaustion of labor.

"I have loved you more with each moment we have had with our baby. Watching your smile as I held him the first time, seeing your sleepy expressions when you rocked him to sleep, watching you two bond as you learned to nurse him. I loved you more and more with _every_ new experience we shared."

She didn't look at him now but he could feel she was letting go...ready to let her walls down, trusting him with her insecure thoughts. "I love you too Damon. So so much." He could feel a but coming and not for lack of love, but her lack of loving herself.

"But you see my body after having our baby and I feel like I got run over by a truck. That I just have to live with what I got left with. I want to see it differently and I'm trying too. I really am."

Her voice was shaking now and he wanted to comfort her but he knew she needed to get this out.

"I keep pushing them away but these are the thoughts I have that I don't even believe. That I'm not the girl you fell in love with all those years ago. I'm not beautiful like Katherine was. I'm not the doppelganger everyone wanted and I'm just a mom without even a job now. I miss being a doctor or becoming one since I've been on leave from the hospital. I miss saving people. I'm not even a vampire that can heal instantly. It's _so_ stupid to want to heal instantly but I could before and now I can't."

She sighed in clear frustration, slowly reached for the cover up and pulled it back on, not seeing the sadness on his face at the demons of her thoughts winning again. He hoped he could help her with his words and his touch, his love, but she still wanted to hide her body. But she was starting to share with him so he wanted to take whatever she was offering.

Damon watched her pulling the sleeve of her cover up in her fist and he stayed quiet, even though he was glad she didn't see that his mouth had nearly fallen open at her mentioning being jealous of Katherine. That was crazy!

"I know it's stupid and my hormones still feel all over the place." She laughed, her eyes still avoiding his. "You probably think I'm nuts even thinking about wanting to look like Katherine, but I can't help how I feel Damon. I don't want to feel like this but I do! I'm scared of all the change. I'm scared that I liked being a vampire, all strong and indestructible and not hardly needing sleep. Full of power and unending energy."

He heard her swallow sobs as more tears fell and he ached to make everything right again.

"I'm so tired all the time Damon!" his wife cried out softly. "I feel like the living dead without the magic healing and you already do SO much and I know we are in this together and I _love_ our life and our baby, our family. But I just..." Her head fell to her knees she had now tucked up in front of them and he cradled her closer, rubbing his hands down her arms.

"I just... tell myself every morning I am going to get up and exercise, go for a walk, before Stefan is even awake. I used to love jogging and I miss it and I know it would help my stomach get tighter again. But _every_ morning I bail and I stay in bed, snuggled up to you just a bit longer, or I want just a few more minutes of sleep after Stef nursed as slow as ever just an hour before. I want to fix it but I just give up!"

He opened his mouth again but she was not done, the floodgates seeming to be open and the emotions now crashing to the surface.

"I knew you wanted me to wear this today Damon," she sniffled, indicating her red bikini and wiped her hand to hide any tears. "So I did. But standing in front of the mirror I hated that I could see my stomach fat literally curl over the waistband. I _hate_ that I know how to fix at least some of my body but I'm just too weak. So it's easier to hide in the dark when you want me and then I don't have to see it or see if you hate it as much as I do."

He was shaking his head faster and faster at the last things she spoke and he turned her more around in his lap. "Never," he breathed out. "I could never hate anything about you. And you think you are weak?" He could hardly believe it as she nodded meekly.

Damon cupped her face in his hands. "Elena Salvatore, _you_ are the strongest woman I have _ever_ known!" He was almost shaking her now. "You gave birth to our son with no pain killers, nothing to numb that excruciating pain. You cringed at watching the hospital birthing videos during our prenatal classes and you buried your head in my shoulder making me very aware how you _didn't_ want to go though it medication free."

Elena laid her head down against him, her eyes still studying him intently as he continued and he thought he saw a hint of a smile on her parted lips.

"You have held our baby for _hours_ , your muscles must be like steel I think sometimes, watching you ignore yourself to soothe him. You carried him for nearly 9 months and worked at the hospital till a few weeks before was born. You still find time to make _me_ meals sometimes and have coffee made, cause God knows this human body didn't know how important coffee was till he wasn't immortal anymore." He chuckled at her teasing him how desperate he became for his morning coffee to survive his day at the restaurant and with all the responsibilities as a husband and father.

"Your body fed our baby Elena and despite you throwing up _so_ much and barely keeping anything down for months he was growing in you strong and healthy, taking from you what he needed to grow. You tossed and turned and could hardly move sometimes and slept with _far_ too many pillows and yet you still got up the next day, sometimes giving _me_ the few precious minutes you could have slept more so you could satisfy me with a morning quickie. _You_ have sacrificed so much. Your body stretched to keep up with our baby growing and I don't see those marks as ugly Elena..."

Damon paused drawing in another breath, seeing her eyes teary and locked on his. "I see them showing your beauty and your incredible strength. I see them as marks of life being lived to the fullest, our _human_ life together."

He was stroking up and down one mark at a time on her exposed hip as he held her in his arms, her head against his shoulder. "There is _nothing_ sexier than my beautiful wife in her raw and gorgeous humanity, and I am in _awe_ of all that your body is capable of. Those marks show your determination and selflessness and that is something to be treasured. Something truly beautiful, and brave. _You_ let that baby take over and stretch and grow and push your limits and you did it so he could come into this world Elena. You gave up so much to give me... _me_...an arrogant selfish, vampire that never dared to dream I could be a father…"

Damon felt a tear slip down his cheek as he was so wrapped up in his emotional plea to her. "You gave me _everything_...You gave me you... and you gave me a son Elena. You and Stef mean the world to me."

She was sitting up more in his arms and leaned in and Damon closed his eyes slowly and moaned as he felt her lips touch his. He lifted his head back up. "I would trade places with you in an instant. I would take the marks, the imperfections on myself I would..."

Elena started shaking her head and he sniffled up more tears wanting to fall as he felt her stroke his cheek. "No, its okay Damon. Really," she mumbled. "I think I understand more than I _ever_ did before." She sniffled more. "I never thought of it that way or _any_ of the ways you said."

She pointed ahead of them turning more in his arms. "I don't even believe it but my thoughts are telling me I miss being like that..." her voice trailed off.

Damon saw where she was pointing, indicating a group of teenagers that were playing volleyball. A young brunette with a striking body jumped up and slammed the ball down on the other side, jumping and squealing to her teammates, her shorts _so_ short on her slim and tanned legs. Her belly was tight too and he saw Elena looking longingly back at her.

"What... do you mean you like _that_?" Damon scoffed and pulled her head away from them. "C'mon Elena, that isn't real. Those kids have just as much insecurity as you do right now even with tight young bodies. They don't even know who they are yet or what they want to become. I much prefer this..." And he zeroed in on a family just a short ways from them on their own blanket.

Damon saw the father giving a little boy belly kisses, making the boy shriek with laughter. The mom stood up and walked a few steps past the blanket and sat back down beside a little girl kissing her cheek and helping her with her sandcastle. The girl couldn't be more than 5 or 6 and her mom had a light orange bikini on and when she stood up Damon could see the white marks all down her belly like stripes and the loose skin around it. The woman turned to a whistle and the man blew her a kiss and she beamed and blew it back only for the little boy to steal it from his daddy and run up to his mommy's arms.

Elena was watching, mesmerized as he turned her head more again. "And this..."

Next he saw a woman straightening a scarf that almost blew away and the man she was with caught it before it did. She was bald beneath and the man helped her secure it around her head before bending to wrap his arms around her and the couple just lay in each others embrace.

"And this..." He saw another breathtaking scene. She saw the teenagers and young adults all perfect in their physique but she needed to look _deeper_ …

He steered her eyes to a man and woman just to their right. Damon saw scars all down the man's face and neck. He had been in a fire, burned badly and yet his smile at the woman he was with was awe inspiring. They were clinking glasses, toasting to something and he took the glass from her hand and she gazed lovingly at him.

Damon nearly gasped aloud as he saw before the woman did that the man untucked a small black box from his back pocket...a ring. The man held it up as he stood up and knelt to one knee on the blanket.

Elena sharp intake of breath he could hear clearly as she curled her arm around his and sniffled.

No words were needed in this moment. The scene in front of them was speaking volumes.

The woman almost jumped in the mans arms and accepted his proposal and they watched them hug and then kiss passionately as a few people around them clapped and they did too, quietly careful not to disturb their sleeping son.

His eyes caught sight of one more… "And my favorite..." he turned her more to a couple who had just been walking by on the beach and paused to smile and clap for the newly engaged couple. Damon could see the wedding rings and saw the husband help his wife with his arm up so she could hold tight to him as they continued walking.

They must have been in their 80's or so and caught his gaze toward them and smiled politely. The old woman even gave a little wave. They continued on, the mans wrinkled hand reaching for hers and she laid her head on his shoulder. He was mostly bald with a small sprinkling hair high on his head. The wife's hair was brilliant white and flowed back behind them like a magical curtain.

Damon bent his head to Elena's, his breath against her skin. "I want that to be us someday Elena...more in love than ever, supporting each other, growing old together and embracing the changes as tightly as they are embracing each other. I want that… with you."

She looked up at him, her eyes shining and tears slipping down her cheeks. She put her hand on his and lifted their joined hands to stroke down her belly, over the loose skin and white marks. "I want that too Damon...with you."

A loud cry came from close by as Stefan woke up and was already squirming and fussing. Elena scooted out of his arms, but not before placing a soft kiss on Damon's forehead and then reached for the baby. She passed him to his daddy and Damon took their son from his wife as he made faces at him and kissed his little belly. He changed him while Elena got ready, tugging her clothes aside and in minutes she was nursing him.

Damon started getting food from the cooler after his stomach rumbled. It was well past lunch time. They had been so wrapped up in each other to have eaten before when their baby was sleeping and he now started getting ingredients for sandwiches out and the bottle of juice and fruit salad.

The older couple came over as Stefan pulled away from his meal and Damon watched as Elena smiled at them and the lady oohed and ahhed over their little boy, bending down to kneel on the blanket to offer her small bony finger to the baby. Elena sat him up and Stefan grabbed it and made more burbling sounds as he smiled at the old lady.

"Enjoy it dear," Damon overheard the woman say to his wife. "Every day seems to go on forever, but the time passes so quickly," she continued.

Oh how right she was. Elena was nodding. The older man nodded to Damon and helped his wife back up.

"How long have you two been married," he found himself asking the couple.

"Oh 65 wonderful years," the woman said while laying her head on her husbands chest. "Full of every heart break and joy imaginable, love and laughter and pain and tears and loss and so much life and happiness. I wouldn't change anything for the world."

"We almost lost my sweet Eleanor when she gave birth to our first when we were probably not much older than you are", the older man said sadly and moved his head to kiss his wife. "I treasured everything more after that. Every trial or trouble I was thankful she was still there with me to face together."

Damon saw Elena smiling more at the lovely couple and he smiled back as she stood up and passed the baby to him.

The old lady smiled again. "Oh he's is going to be a heart breaker when he grows up isn't he? With such beautiful parents how couldn't he be?" Damon saw Elena blush at that and nod to the woman in thanks.

"Never lose that love look you both have. Hang onto each other, trust in your love and you can make it through anything," Eleanor said with a twinkle in her eyes.

The couple left as quickly as they came and Damon smiled cuddling Stef to his chest. She sure was right...all they needed was faith in each other.

He watched, his mouth slowly falling open as Elena lifted up the cover up and pulled it over her head to toss down on the blanket. She shook her hair out and smiled, at him and he beamed back at her.

She walked in just her bikini over to the cooler and began to make up the sandwiches from the ingredients he set out. She motioned him to come back closer and leaned in to kiss him.

"We can get through anything together..." she breathed as she let go of his bottom lip. And he nodded numbly holding their baby against his chest.

Yes they definitely could…

Elena was smiling widely at him. "And maybe we should get a sitter tonight Damon and dance like we did on our honeymoon..."

Oh hell yeah, he knew what that meant…

"And enjoy a hot tub… by bright candlelight..."

Damon felt a lump growing in his throat as another part of him started growing too. "Elena..." he breathed out heavily, already hardly thinking he could wait till that night.

Elena looked back at him with equal heat in her eyes. "I trust you Damon. I want to love this body and believe I am strong and brave."

"You are..." he rasped out. "You have no idea how strong you are." Damon shifted the baby to his other shoulder as his wife passed him a grape in his mouth and he sucked her finger between his lips.

"I'm yours Damon and I'm not going to be afraid anymore, lights on or in the daytime...making love on the hood of your car. I can get past this fear...as long as we're together."

Damon felt his throat get raw as so many delicious images of her came to mind. He couldn't wait… He leaned his forehead to hers feeling his heart pounding harder. "What are we still doing here?" he asked her in complete seriousness, his blue eyes wide and dark with lust.

Elena giggled and he wanted to just scoop her up in his arms and run her to the car and take her in the bright sun just like she said. They hadn't been that daring and adventurous in _far_ too long.

He cleared his throat. "Call Melissa, and see if she can watch Stef at their place while Troy closes up. He said they had no plans today… and you know how much his wife _loves_ our baby, especially since they are trying for one of their own."

Elena looked surprised but she had started this train of lustful thoughts and he would be damned if he wouldn't take advantage of _all_ she was offering.

His wife smiled at him, passing him a sandwich and he grinned back at her. "Okay. Okay Damon...okay. I trust you and I'm ready to show you."

He nearly choked on the bite of his sandwich and sat back down, putting their son down between them on the blanket so he could lay and kick his little feet. Stefan was smiling widely too and pulled his foot up to his mouth and started sucking on his toes, bringing a huge smile to both his parents before Damon reached over their baby and pulled Elena's lips to his, hard, aching and sweet, demanding entrance and plunging his tongue into her mouth. She whimpered at his hunger for her.

Baby Stef was watching his parents and two sucks later those little green eyes squinted and he let out a loud cry and sucked harder on his little toes. Obviously not getting what he wanted from them.

Elena pulled back from Damon's warm lips, her breath heavy, her skin flushed. "Someone is still hungry..."

Damon nodded and moved forward not wanting the kiss to end, and pulled her bottom lip between his, biting it gently. "Yes someone is..." His blood was pounding in his ears as his eyes reflected the absolute heat and want he had for her.

Elena backed away at the sound of another cry from their angel. "You husband...will have to wait...mommy duties are calling." Their son's cries were getting louder and he knew he needed to let her go.

Something resembling a growl left his lips and he sat back, pouting like a child. Elena chided him with a simple look.

"You call Troy and Melissa...and I'm all yours tonight baby. All yours..."

Damon reached in the bags where he left their keys and fumbled for his phone. Scrolling the numbers he found theirs and hurriedly hit send.

This really had been the most perfect summer day and he was so glad he took his little family to the beach. It had been amazing to watch Stefan's first time in the water and seeing his little toes in the sand. The pictures they took had been incredible and he knew he would remember this day for a long time.

His baby son suckled happily and Damon saw Elena gazing deeply at him before she blew him a kiss. She was still only in her bikini and she looked radiant and beautiful, imperfections and all. And she was _finally_ ready to trust him with how she had changed…

The night could not come soon enough… and he couldn't wait for some real alone time with her. It had been _far_ too long…

* * *

 **Lemony goodness coming up. They really needed this talk and for Damon to show her how he felt. She needed to open up to him too.**

 **Everything got too long thought so I decided to make it one part more yet and will give them that night alone that they have been very over due for.**

 **Hope you liked the tenderness and intimacy already. Please take a minute to review and share your thoughts. I'm trying my best to capture their human lives and all the struggles and feelings in different stages in life that they might face.**


	3. Our Night

**A/N: Here is the part 3 of 4. The last one will also be posted today too. It just got way too long as a single chapter. I hope you love their alone time.**

 **Rated M for language and sexual detail and even more so for part 4.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

It felt surreal that it was _actually_ happening.

Elena saw the excitement on Damon's face as he clicked off the call. She couldn't hide her smile back at him as he nodded slowly at her, his eyes sparkling with playfulness.

His lips curled up in the widest grin as he did his famous eye thing that was _just_ for her. She caught herself thinking back to _so_ long ago when she had told him to stop with the flirty comments and that eye thing he did. He had responded with even more heat to his gaze as he wiggled his eyebrows purposefully at her again while whispering 'what eye thing?'

Back then it was like he did it _just_ because he knew it made her uncomfortable and he _never_ resisted a chance to have her squirm in his presence.

However that look held _even_ more heat now and she was squirming in a _very_ intimate way at the look in his eyes. Could they really have an entire night to themselves?

Elena struggled to focus on what needed to be done for said night to happen. They were already driving back now, after she had nursed their angel and he was humming and baby talking in his seat with his soother in his mouth. She had never seen her husband move that fast without vampire speed, as he packed them up after they finished their little picnic.

She had laughed aloud at his _very_ clear exuberance and he had tackled her with kisses once they had Stef tucked back in the car seat, just before he packed up the sun shade. She had fallen down under him, hidden away from curious onlookers as he kissed and nipped at her neck, before his hands slid down her sides to what she thought would be a possessive grab of her ass.

But he smirked at her mischievously as his fingers spread and tickled her till she was squealing and giggling in his embrace!

Damon's smile widened as he buried his nose against her neck. "Mmm, miss your laugh...Till today I haven't see you laugh or smile in too _far_ too long."

He was right. She had been so exhausted lately and hadn't just enjoyed time with him or their baby. He had stopped tickling her, instead curling his fingers around her bare hips, pulling her body in hard against his own.

Damon's head came up and she took in the deep, hungry look in his eyes before pulling him back down kissing him deeply, her fingers woven in and out of the strands of silky dark hair.

 _God_ , she had missed him. Time with him. Kissing him...everything about him.

He took the lead, grabbing her wrists and held them down on either side of her head as he plundered her mouth before sucking in the skin of her neck and collarbone.

"Ahh, Damon..." Her lips fell open in a low moan, her eyes closing.

Damon pulled back as she opened her eyes to find his eyes locked on hers after ravaging her lips and the skin of her neck. He looked as sexy as hell above her; ocean deep blue eyes so dark...wavy, raven hair caressing his cheek...tongue darting out to wet his lips again.

"That..." he panted out, his deep breaths ragged. "Is a taste of what you get...E-lena." He groaned as he kissed down the sweaty, warm skin between her breasts before pulling back again. "Later...once we are alone. No babies allowed."

He had flashed her a half smirk as she sat up and shook her head. The young mom had tried to respond to him and nothing even close to a clear sentence came out of her mouth. Damn, he still had moves she hadn't seen before, or in far too long.

Damon was letting the wind ruffle through his hair as he drove his baby blue Camero away from the busy beach. The fingers of his one hand were tangled with hers as he kept glancing her way whenever he could. He had her head all fuzzy, her heart pounding at the lustful gaze he leveled at her from above his sunglasses.

Elena had barely remembered her own name as she had sat up from _just_ the teasing taste of their night together. She watched him pack up the sunshade and slip back into his dark jeans, socks and boots. He shrugged his arms back in his white dress shirt but left it open as he turned back to her. She had still been sitting in only her bikini, following him with her eyes before turning back toward their baby to put the soother back in Stefan's mouth, seeing her husband's questioning look at her.

With a subtle raise of one brow he questioned why she hadn't moved, but then smiled knowingly, kneeling down. "That was just a little _taste_ baby...Have I already rendered you speechless?"

At her wordless smile he grinned wider and swept her hair back from her face. Damon picked up his hat to tuck her hair in before putting it back on her head, adjusting the brim before kissing the tip of her nose. He lifted her to her feet and she fell against his bare chest, still feeling her whole body tingling from his kisses.

She could feel the faint dusting of sand on the smooth skin of his chest and her fingers brushed it away before ghosting over his abs to curl her hands into his back pockets. She gazed up into the bright sunlight, squinting at the sun behind him. Hiding her face from the brightness, she pulled his head down, very hungry for more of his soft lips.

A taste was not nearly enough...

* * *

Elena leaned back in the car, her eyes closing after looking back again at their son through the baby mirror. She sighed remembering the incredible kiss they shared, pulling each other in closer as they stood on the sand.

It took awhile for her to slowly come down from the heaven her husband could bring her to by his touch and breathless kisses alone. Everything about him was amazing she thought, leaning in for one more taste of his lips before she finally started getting dressed. Her husband passed her her white shorts and sheer black printed dress and she dressed quickly, eager to get to their night.

As fast as they had gotten home, it felt like Damon had gone way over the speed limit, but she knew with his precious cargo and being human himself, he would not take that kind of risk with his family. He whistled almost soundlessly at her and they could see through the baby mirror that Stefan was asleep all curled up in the car seat. Yeah for him falling asleep so well again!

Melissa opened the door, her blonde hair long and flowing down her back, reminding Elena of Caroline. She missed her friend who was just as busy with the Salvatore School as she was with mothering her twins.

They both slipped upstairs carrying as much as they could back into the loft and their friend quietly took the car seat from Damon as he closed the door. He caught his wife's arm and leaned in toward her ear.

"You just focus on getting him tucked in and I will take care of everything else. I promise I will have everything we need for me to show you an amazing night, _Mrs. Salvatore_."

Elena leveled a hesitant gaze at him but nodded knowing this was part of showing him she trusted him in everything. She pecked him on the cheek and carried the car seat upstairs as quietly as she could. Untucking their sleeping sunshine she rocked him in the chair a few minutes snuggling his tiny body against her before she lay him down in his crib. He still slept in their room just on the other side of the room, but close enough that she could hear him breathing at night.

While rocking him, Damon had slipped into the room and quickly threw things from the dresser and closet in an overnight bag he was carrying before soundlessly coming toward them. Daddy Damon pressed the lightest kiss to his sons forehead, whispering goodnight.

Those kind of moments, watching him be a dad always had her in awe of their normal little life. Elena had smiled at him, excited by the look in his eyes back at her and the night ahead with him all to herself. She couldn't wait!

Closing the door quietly she tiptoed barefoot downstairs and Damon reminded her he had everything. She just needed to get in the car and they would go. Elena gave their friend a quick hug and thank you. Melissa smiled saying she was more than happy to watch Stef for them as long as they would like. The young woman grinned and wiggled her eyebrows telling the couple to not worry about a thing and to enjoy each other.

Damon still rushed around a bit more as she made her way to the car. After tossing the bags and his leather jacket in the backseat, her husband fell back in beside her. He turned to her, breathing rapidly, soul blue eyes wide, his hand sliding up to cup her cheek.

"Honey, please tell me you remembered the…" Elena started but his lips found hers before she could finish her sentence. Damon's palms cradled her face as he dove in, kissing her deeply. She moaned as he pulled her body flush to his as he slid more to the middle of the front seat. Elena hadn't put her seat belt on yet and in seconds found herself being dragged onto his lap, his hips grinding up against hers.

He groaned, holding her head tight to his before pulling his hat off so her hair tumbled down into his open hands. More hungry kisses had them both moaning, pulling each other closer as their tongues tangled together.

Elena's eyes fell closed as she got lost in the heat of his mouth on hers. She could feel him hard under her splayed legs, a rush of arousal made her tremble at just the thought of uninterrupted time with him.

"Damon, mmm...more," she whimpered against his lips and feeling him pulling away, grabbed his head to deepen their kiss again.

 _God_ , she could not wait to taste more of him.

"We should at least…mmm….leave the driveway...don't you think?" He mumbled between her hungry kisses.

Elena lifted her head, opening her eyes and slid her hands down from his hair to wind behind his neck. "Yeah… mmm...probably..." She kept kissing him, nipping at his lips and then sucking the bottom one between hers. "But we need to make sure we have everything first."

"Ask away," he replied confidently after he pulled his lip back from between her own.

It was _really_ hard to think of what they needed packed...while he was running his hands up and down on her bare back, but she was damn well determined to try.

"Did you...umm," her breath hitched as his hands brushed the sides of her breasts, still only clad in her bikini top since he snuck his hand under the sheer wrap around dress. "Um...remember to leave the extra soother? The baby wrap if she needs it?" She scrunched up her nose, trying so hard to focus on anything but what his fingers were doing. "Mr. Cuddles is in the crib?"

Damon was grinning at her, still holding her nestled in his lap and she knew he was _very_ aware of how undone he was making her feel.

"Yep," he said popping the 'p' casually, slipping his hand under the tie at her back as he started to undo it. "Extra soother's on the counter. Wrap's on the couch next to the remote, cued up to his song...on repeat. Mr. Cuddles was in the dryer, all clean after the puke from last night. I put him in the crib, just giving Stef the one arm by his hand to suck on in case he drops the soother."

Damn he was so smooth and she was a quivering mess in his arms. She was impressed though but determined to pay him back later as the tie fell open, loosening the silk bikini top from around her full breasts. His thumb skimmed across her one nipple over the fabric as his deep blue gaze sparkled with a teasing, daring look.

"Anything else?" he breathed against her parted lips.

Elena gritted her teeth, making him smiled even wider. "Damon," she whimpered. But then she screwed up her strength, stubbornly thinking she was going to show him she could beat him at his game. "Did you, umm show her the milk in the freezer? Teethers? He will need a bath after he got sand all over… ahhh." Her head had fallen back as he kept teasing her one nipple till it was a hard peak under the fabric before pinching it between his thumb and forefinger.

She felt his lips on her neck a second later, kissing down her throat before he spoke again. "All four bags are defrosting, mmmm and one warming in water already for when he wakes up. Teethers, I told her where they were in the fridge. Baby food too that you wanted her to try."

Damon's mouth was sucking at the skin on the hollow of her throat as his hand slipped under her loosened bikini top, He ran his thumb over the bare skin of the side of her breast before pulling back and gazing in her eyes. "His bath stuff is all set out on the counter and the little tub she knows is hanging on the back of the door."

Elena's heart was pounding, barely hearing what he said as she felt Damon's hand knead her soft skin and she felt the slightest bit of milk start to leak. Shit, not now.

"More nursing pads?" she squeaked, her voice shaky. She was ready to pull away, scared to ruin this rare and intensely sexually charged moment with him, by having her milk start dripping all over.

But her amazing husband took her breath away as he bent his head to skim the nipple with his tongue. She barely breathed, watching him licking around her breast, winding his tongue around her pale skin to catch every drop.

"Damon you don't have..." she whispered trying not to sound as embarrassed as she felt.

""Shh," he soothed her as he caught more drops on his tongue. "I want to. You don't need to think I am weird ed out by anything. It's different...but it tastes sweet. Just trust me Elena. I promise I will be honest with you."

She nodded numbly, watching his tongue dart out again, curling under her nipple and she decided to go with it. Just feel and trust him. Her head fell back more in his other hand, tangled in her hair as he peppered kisses all around her silky skin.

Damon fingers moved quickly, releasing the other breast from the fabric clinging to it and giving it the same attention. She felt another rush of arousal looking back at him in the brightness of the day like that, not embarrassed at the changes in her body in the least. She had always cringed thinking it was gross for him to taste her milk, but she was trusting him and she didn't pull away. This was all part of fighting the voices trying to pull her down.

After licking all around her other breast once more, catching any more drops that fell, he covered her back up, tying the back of her bikini and making sure the pads were back in place. She was panting in his arms, her chest heaving at the intimacy they just shared. Her head sunk down to press her forehead to his as more tingles raced through her very aroused body.

He shifted, still cradling her against him and pulled a box from the small bag he had put on her side of the seat. "Right here baby," he smiled holding up the box of fresh nursing pads while licking his lips.

Elena felt her head spinning, the ache between her thighs growing as they stared at each other. She knew she was forgetting something. Shutting her eyes, trying to block him out enough to think she paused before opening them again fast. "I need to pump too.."

Damon had already lifted the bag with the breast pump from her bag and dangled it on his finger.

Elena was almost laughing now, her smile so wide. "What about the bra that is the most comfort..." He held it up too before she could even finish asking.

"Wow 'husband'...you never cease to amaze me." She was beaming at him.

Damon smirked at her. "Good, cause I don't plan to _ever_ stop amazing you." He pulled down on her lip before catching it between his teeth. They kissed lazily, deeply and Elena surprised herself that despite the intensity of their kisses she had enough brain power to remember one more thing.

She started to lean back toward the backseat, hoping to get a peek at the lingerie he packed.

With a firm tug, he pulled her back onto his lap and she stuck out her bottom lip at him. "Damon?" she whined.

"Oh no...pouty. You don't get to peek." Her husband shot her a scolding look, his blue eyes narrowing slightly while he held her down to not get back up over the seat. " _You_ are letting me amaze _you_ remember? Just relax and enjoy 'our night'."

Damon was studying her face curiously, waiting for her response. He looked bursting with energy, his eyes brimming with love for her. She nodded, relenting and he grinned at her, looking proud as punch at how well he did remembering everything.

"We should go..." she suggested and he nodded his agreement. As he slid her off his lap he nearly jumped. Elena saw Damon's friend Troy had just opened the door and was now walking closer to them. Thank goodness he hadn't seen them sooner.

The man knelt at the open window, his short brown hair ruffled by the wind. He was dressed in a crisp dark blue suit with a light blue tie and always looked the part of the assistant manager. Damon came to and from the restaurant casual one day and dressed up the next. "I thought you guys had left awhile ago?" Troy said with a smile.

Damon chuckled and smiled back at his friend as they both did up their seat belts. "We uh...got distracted...leaving now." He nodded, sliding his sunglasses back on and backed the car up and out of the driveway behind the bar. Troy was shaking his head and smiling as he waved at them.

"Have fun you two," he called out as they drove away.

* * *

They drove back the hour and a half to the beach in peaceful silence, just enjoying being together, Elena snuggled in the seat as close as she could be to him while still buckled up. She had watched as Damon pulled into the hotel just across the street from the beach parking lot. They had checked in and brought their bags to their room.

The room was bright and spacious, huge windows with a view of the beach were on one wall. The king sized bed was adorned with a dark wood fabric cushioned headboard, the duvet, thick, plush softness in grays and browns and cremes. Iron style lamps with creme colored shades were on walls by the door, in the sitting room beside a dark brown suede looking style couch and tall bed side standing lamps on either side of the bed.

Elena kicked off her sandals and stepped through the suite, her bare feet on the soft carpet. The bathroom had a full glassed in shower, deep soaker tub and was decorated in brilliant white's cremes and gray slate tile, with wrought iron lighting and white towels.

"Damon it's beautiful." She moved back toward him standing by the large windows. Elena wound her arms around his waist and up his still bare chest parting the thin white shirt more. He leaned back into her, catching her gaze and gave her a half smirk. "I'm so glad you like it. I got us a late checkout too and there is breakfast with room service all day and night."

She loved the sound of that and grinned kissing the side of his neck, biting gently. He growled and nuzzled in closer before staring back out at the view in front of them.

There were lights and lots of activity on the beach, the suns fading light, bathing everything in a reddish, orange glow. It was a gorgeous evening to be outside and enjoy the gentle wind and rolling surf.

Elena slipped into the bathroom, supplies in hand to pump to ease the pressure on her chest for the next few hours. She didn't want anything to ruin their night. She showered after, cleaned up and once she came back to the bedroom, the towel wrapped around her she saw a flowing cream color lace dress laying on the bed. She gasped seeing that it was the exact dress she wore on her grad night, when she told Damon she wasn't sorry she was in love with him.

Lifting it, she held it up to her. It was _that_ dress but this one looked like it fit. She had been so sad that the bodice hadn't fit after she had given birth. It didn't zip up after her chest had grown more than a cup size more. She looked at the tag and realized this one was bigger...

"It wasn't easy..." Damon said to her, stepping into the doorway. "But I found it online. The exact dress and I was going to surprise you with it on your birthday but that week was such a blur with Stef getting sick..." he trailed off. She was staring at him open mouthed.

"It's amazing Damon. Thank you so much!" She hadn't even tried it on yet but she just knew it would be perfect. Dropping the dress back on the bed she ran across the room into his arms. He caught her and spun her around.

Damon set her back down and she felt him tugging on the towel and she turned back to him. She thought they were going out.

"You can wear it now...or later but I told you Elena...it was my turn to amaze you. And you are already amazing me with how delicious you look...just like that. Who needs a dress? Why did I even pack anything?" His eyes darkened as he bent to kiss her and she relaxed in his embrace, enjoying the peace of time with just him.

" _That,"_ he nodded to the dress, "has been hidden in the back of the closet for too long. I hope it fits and you will wear it for me tonight. I want tonight to be special and I've been waiting to spoil you for months already."

She was nodding eagerly to him, looking back toward the bed. There were cream colored heels there too. She walked back to the bed, holding the knot keeping the towel around her as Damon followed behind her tugging on the towel more.

But she held on, teasing _him_ now.

His head was nuzzling the hollow of her throat and kissing along her bare shoulder as she reached forward to a small bag she had not seen sitting beside the shoes till now.

"Is this the lingerie I'm supposed wear under the dress?" she questioned him curiously.

Turning back she saw him shrug nonchalantly as he tugged again at the towel and she still didn't let go. "Whatever you want Elena, it's _your_ night... _Or_ you could wear nothing under the dress. But fair warning that after spending all that time on the beach with Stef, I _really_ wanted to swim and play in the water with just you. I'm pretty sure wearing _nothing_ would be a little too indecent...for a public beach."

Elena moved the tissue paper aside and lifted a piece of black silk from the bag. She pulled out another piece and saw it was a bikini, but much more sexy that her red one. It was so delicate looking with sheer underlay and lacy black silk fabric with a gathering in to the center front clasped bodice.

"Damon, it's beautiful… I love it and my new dress too!" She spun around in his arms and hugged him tight, her fingers tangling in the dark curls at the nape of his neck. She ran her one hand along the smooth hard muscles on his chest and abs before using her tongue and lips, sucking the skin into her mouth.

He groaned as her tongue skimmed across his chest, twirling around a nipple and biting it gently before kissing a path across his chest to his other one. Elena pulled his head down, kissing higher up along his chest to the side of his neck and ran her tongue over his pulse point before sucking it deep in between her lips.

She felt him tremble at her touch and stumble back against the nearest wall. Elena started tugging on the thin white shirt, pulling it down his arms till he could shake himself free of it. He picked her up and carried her to the bed. Swiping the dress, shoes or anything else aside with one hand they sunk down onto the bed.

"Elena...ahh," he whimpered as she grinded down on him, her bare legs straddling his lap. She felt so sexy right then, her hair curled around her shoulder and still wet from her shower, making little trails on his bare chest wherever the water drops fell. She rubbed herself on him through his jeans and watched his eyes roll back as he slipped his hands down her back and under the towel, cupping her ass to pull her body harder against him.

She was trembling as she sat back up to look in his eyes. His gaze felt like it went right through to her soul, his blue eyes so dark and dilated. She leaned in and sucked his ear lobe between her lips as her hands started unbuttoning and pulling the zipper down on his jeans.

"Lena, ahhh," he moaned as she tugged the jeans down roughly. "We'll miss our…god ahh," he was melting to her touch as she gripped his full length and swirled her thumb over the tip, still through his swim trunks.

Elena was grinning back at how he could hardly string words together. She should have done this to him before in the car when he was turning her brain to mush, with his touch and kisses. She sat up more in his lap pumping her hand up and down his length as she waited for his blissful half lidded eyes to find hers. "Hard to focus huh Damon? We will miss what…?" He was groaning again, struggling to keep her gaze.

His hands gripped her thighs, again pulling her in against him. "We have dinner...reserva...oh fuck Lena...so good..." She had slipped her hand under the swim trucks to caress his bare skin, feeling him pulsing and twitching in her grip as she rubbed him up and down more firmly.

With his next groan she crashed her lips to his, kissing him hard, devouring his lips and teasing his tongue. Her hands were rubbing faster on him as she heard his breath racing.

Damon put his hands on hers and lifted them off him, tucking himself back in his jeans. "I know..." he breathed out. "I know we are enjoying this but I don't want it like that...not tonight." His eyes were wide at her. "We have had enough quickie type nights with you doing...that." He saw her nodding to him.

Elena knew what he meant. Anytime she felt dizzy or nauseous during the pregnancy she would opt to please him this way or also later before she had been given the all clear for sex again after the baby, she often just pleased him and didn't ask for anything herself. Her body was such a mess of hormones and most times when they were both tired, this or spooning and really quick sex was all they had time or energy for. She knew he wanted this night to be more than what normal had been lately and she totally understood.

The brunette pulled the towel tighter around her chest, seeing him eying her cleavage before she kissed him tenderly before pulling back. "I know Damon. I want that too. For it to be more special, slower, cherishing you like we used to so much more before all this baby stuff. Or even rough and hot and sexy too. I miss just enjoying you and not thinking of my big belly or the baby crying or having to be quiet and not wake him up."

Damon smiled at her, the back of his hand caressing her cheek. "That is what this night is for." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "We have _all_ night Elena. Mel said she would watch him so we could sleep tomorrow too for at least some of the day. Troy told me he could handle the restaurant. _So..._ we have _all_ night to rediscover more than just quickie sex."

He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her hair. "How about I let you get dressed in that _stunning_ dress and that sexy black bikini so we can get out of here. What do you think?"

She nodded, smiling back at him while still straddling his lap. He helped her up and grabbed up some clothes from the bag to head into the bathroom and change himself.

Elena watching him leave, letting out a deep breath before picking up the dress and her bikini from the bed. She dried off more and slipped into the black lacy two piece. Standing in front of the mirror, she turned and admired how it hugged her curves. Elena ignored her wrinkly belly and the white streaks, deciding even to press her lips to her fingers and then stroking down one of them.

She had taken her time applying just the lightest bit of make up like she knew he loved and brushed her hair till it was silky smooth falling down her back.

Sure enough the dress fit like a glove and she smiled at her reflection, hardly believing the beaming woman staring back at her. She felt so beautiful. Slipping on the heels, she spun in front of the mirror one more time.

The door to the bathroom opened and Damon came out, his damp hair falling messily on his forehead. He was wearing a black button down shirt and another pair of dark washed jeans. He looked damn delicious and she slid into his arms, snuggling into his chest. He lifted her arm, spun her out away from him his gaze heated, before spinning her back in against him.

"You look incredible..." he breathed out.

Damon grabbed his jacket from the side of the couch on the other side of the room, scooped up his phone and gently led her along with him. "Shall we?"

Elena saw the phone in his hand. She had left hers with Melissa to take more pictures or video of anything their baby did. "Can you call her? Just to check?"

He smiled softly. "Sure. Do you want to talk to her?" her husband replied, holding it out.

Elena was shaking her head. "I promised her I wouldn't call and bug her as much as last time. No...you call." He nodded and hit the speed dial.

They were greeted by a squealing, high pitched voice echoing through the phone. Elena was beaming instantly and pulled the phone closer. Mel had Stefan right close to the phone… "Mmm, bababab, ddddaa" he babbled. She passed a look of awe to her husband to see he was smiling just as widely back at her.

"Angel...baby, its mommy. Are you having fun?" Elena called out, loving hearing Stef all happy and talkative. He must have had a good sleep. Damon held the phone closer to her.

Suddenly the black screen flicked to life and both parents gasped at the sight of their little sunshine sitting in his highchair in his fuzzy striped blue and green sleeper with baby cereal all over his chubby little cheeks and hands. He was pounding the tray, opening wide while babbling more. When he saw Elena, he squealed and baby talked more. "Mmmmm," he said as Melissa held out a spoon and his mouth was wide for the sticky cereal.

"Awe! That's great baby. You are doing so good! Mommy misses you!" Elena smiled at Stef and then back at Damon as he led them to sit down on the couch.

"Way to go little man! Daddy is so proud of you!" Damon called out as their baby opened wide for another mouthful. But before it went in his mouth, his tiny nose scrunched up and he sneezed so big that pieces of cereal went everywhere!

There was even cereal sliding down Mel's phone as they could hear her laughing as she started wiping him up. The 6 month old looked as surprised as any of them at the food all over him, his green eyes so wide and he smeared his sticky hand on the tray, pounding it again, his mouth open for more.

"Well I think you can see we are doing great here guys. He is super hungry, so you said that meant good night sleep right? So we will let you go and you can check in later again. I promise to call you if I need anything."

Elena was beaming back at their baby. "Night angel. Be good for Auntie Mel K?" Stef babbled more and then started getting upset at not getting food fast enough. "Night Mel. Thanks again so much." Their sweet friend repeated that she was happy to watch him and to not worry at all.

"Love you buddy!" Damon called out, while snuggling closer to her and watched their son open wide again for more cereal, smearing more on his face. The screen went black just they heard their baby squeal again at the promise of smushed bananas next before she clicked off the call.

Elena sat back and sighed. She closed her eyes slowly while leaning on Damon's chest and then opened them slowly. "Okay...okay. I'm ready to go now."

Her love put one finger under her chin, tilting her head up to find her eyes. "Are you sure?" His concern for her she thought was so sweet as she nodded again. Elena had bailed on a date before, their first one after never having even one night apart from their baby boy. She had said something just wasn't right and they had raced home and spent the night cuddling all three of them instead of enjoying the night alone as a couple.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I just miss him...but this is our time, so lets get going. I'm good, really." Elena sniffled and he leaned in to kiss the crown of her head. She knew she was okay. She just needed to refocus. There were plenty more nights to spend at home. This was her chance to enjoy some adult time...with her husband and she was not going to change her mind on this first night alone.

* * *

Dinner went by quickly. They had a table out on the patio, the cool breeze around them and both of them ate far faster than they needed too. Elena was used to eating quickly or nursing between bites so taking her time, having a quiet peaceful meal felt so weird. They had pasta topped with delicious marinara sauce as their main course with a side of soft spicy garlic bread and fresh garden salad. Damon had a glass of bourbon while she opted for non alcoholic wine.

They chatted about how the restaurant was doing and plans for summer. Elena said they should go shopping for summer clothes for Stef while Damon mentioned they should check out the Chicago Zoo sometime too and they thought of other family things to do that summer.

Bonnie was planning to visit in a month or so. They were both eager to reconnect and hadn't seen her much in the last year as she had been traveling and enjoying Europe. She still sent postcards every few weeks of where she was next and how beautiful the sights were but a visit was long overdue.

They talked about plans to have Jeremy visit soon too. It sounded like he was bringing someone with him when he came to stay with them next week. He hadn't told them much else about his life, mentoring the kids at the school, teaching an art class as well as archery to the young kids. He had been pretty private since he got back when she had woken up.

Damon paid and Elena stood by the door, seeing the waves crashing against the shore across the street at the beach. He tangled her fingers with his and they walked leisurely back to the car. He grabbed the bag with the towels and blankets in it and they walked hand in hand across the highway on the walkway overpass onto the sand. The couple kicked off their boots and shoes and he took off his socks as she shook out the blanket to lay it down.

Before she could sit down Damon had pulled her into his arms, wound his fingers with hers on her one hand and held her waist gently in his other as he swayed to the sound of the waves. His head was right against hers, his lips pressed to her hair.

"I miss dancing with you...in the sand..in the moonlight," Damon breathed against her hair. "It's not quite like our honeymoon but we don't exactly have a private beach here."

Elena felt her knees go weak at the thoughts rushing through her. They had danced like this, swaying to the sound of the waves that night. Only they had just come from a midnight swim in the warm tropical water and Elena had slipped back into her favorite long sleeved button down shirt of his when he took her hand.

He had skinny dipped with her and then as they danced he slipped his shirt back off her body, her skin glowing in the moonlight he said. They danced naked on the private beach behind their little bungalow and Elena felt her breath catch at the erotic memory. There wasn't a soul nearby and he had paid handsomely for the privacy. Well Ric paid, as wedding gift from all the guys. It had been like a dream and they spent a huge chunk of their two weeks away not wearing anything.

Elena leaned in closer, her head up to gaze in his eyes. "Like I would _ever_ forget that night Damon…" She stood up to her tiptoes and pulled his head down to crush her lips to his. He cupped her face, still moving slowly back and forth before lifting her up in his arms as she wrapped her legs around his waist tight. Elena wound her arms around his neck, kissing him hungrily as he held her up and spun them around and around on the sand.

There were other people further away down the beach but no one was too close to see clearly in the moonlight shining down. It felt like it could have been that night all over again. The last night they had been on the island, hating that the boat would be coming in the morning to take them to the mainland and then fly home, back to real life. It had been a good bye to their time there and she knew she would never forget how romantic it had been.

Damon after a few more minutes stepped back on the blanket and sunk down, with her still straddling him. He held her close, his arms around her keeping her against him and Elena enjoyed the quiet. She breathed in his scent, the smell of the ocean and burned wood from the fires nearby.

Wrinkling her nose at the smell of smoke she shut out everything but him; how his arms felt around her, his head resting against hers, his hand tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear and the steady pounding of his human heartbeat against her chest.

She shifted off his lap and they both lay down, Elena's head on his stomach as they looked up to the stars twinkling above them. It was the most peaceful she had felt in weeks and she knew they needed to make more time to reconnect like this. They had to make this kind of time a priority.

Her husband had sat up after awhile, nuzzled into her shoulder and she felt his fingers on the zipper of her lacy dress. Her heartbeat quickened at his lips, kissing down her spine, pulling the zipper to her waist.

"Too many clothes..." he said, his words barely a whisper against her skin. She let out a trembling breath as he pulled the dress open on her back, tugging it gently down so her arms could slip out of the sleeves. Damon lifted it up and over her head and she watched him fold it up to tuck it in their bag beside him before he turned back to her.

"Mmm, much better," he purred, burying his head in the hollow of her throat while pulling her by her waist back closer to him.

Elena readily agreed. She turned around in his arms, got on her knees, her fingers slowly unbuttoning his shirt to tug it off his shoulders and fall behind him. She bent to tug the button and zipper down on his jeans, pulling them down his legs and tossing them aside before turning back to him and running her palms up his naked chest.

"Much better," she whispered back to him.

* * *

 **There is one more chapter. I hope you were enjoying their very intimate night out. If you liked any of it please take a moment and send me a review. With very few people favoriting this story I am not sure this is the style people like compared to the action and thriller style I have usually written.**

 **It took hours to write this and every review is more encouragement, inspiring my muse, knowing you guys love reading about our favorite couple. I'm happy to honor them by giving you my take on what their human life could look like. I wish we had seen more of this on the show.**

 **A lot was pulled too from my life, marriage and experiences with my own husband and children. Life is raw and messy and not always easy. But you grow and change as people and as couples and it can bond you even stronger as long as you keep communicating and being real with each other.**

 **Thank you so much for all the support in my writing. Stay tuned for part 4 posting today too!**

 **Updating my Eternally Blood Bound series next. Book 4 is called Aching Hearts, Innocent Blood. If you follow that series, watch for the update soon!**


	4. No Babies Allowed

**Last part of this story. Very much rated M.**

* * *

The night air was cool and crisp as the heat of the day faded away. The beach was almost empty with only a few groups of people sitting around fires or snuggled up on their own blankets farther away.

Damon pulled her down into his arms and they lay there, Elena enjoying being wrapped in his embrace from behind as she leaned on his bare chest, sitting between his legs. It felt amazing to not have to worry about Stef, feedings, diapers or baby anything for a little while. They just stared out at the water, rushing in and back out on the shore.

Her love bent his head and caught her eye as she felt him tracing circles on the skin of her hip. "I'd say it's swim time before it gets too cold."

It was already pretty late, likely late evening or closer to midnight. The air was already quite chilly. "Damon I think swimming might have to wait till next time. I'm already getting goosebumps here wrapped in your arms."

But he began shaking his head. "Oh no no Elena. I said we were going to swim and play in the water without Stefan..."

Damon was already getting up and before she knew it, he had thrown her over his shoulder!

"No! No! Damon that water is so cold!" But he wasn't listening. "Damon don't you dare..." She was kicking and fighting him with all her strength. He had waded in fast and she saw him already shivering but he threw her in as she screamed and landed with a huge splash in the deeper water.

Elena pushed her head to surface, flipping her hair back and whipped around looking for him. He was so dead!

She couldn't see him anywhere and then felt hands, tickling her sides and he burst from the water right in front of her. His grin was so wide, his expression daring, his black hair shimmering in the soft moonlight. "Oh shit that is cold!" he hissed out.

"You think?" She was freezing. Elena was so pissed at him yet not knowing what emotion she was feeling more...Cold as shit and eager for revenge or letting him get away with this and finding warmth in his body.

"Oh c'mon Elena. Have some fu..." But she had jumped as high as she could in the water and pushed him under, holding his shoulders to keep him down with her weight. He surfaced again fast, this time narrowing his eyes and tackling her back under the water.

They laughed and dunked each other, swimming around in circles, splashing and trying to grab the other to dunk them again. Elena was fast and she dove under and swam around him, pulling him back under from behind. He pushed them both back to the surface, her holding tight around his neck as he piggy backed her around.

It had been fun to laugh and fight him. She realized even as a human he was still stronger than she thought, at least in the water. However laying against his back she felt so warm, the chill of the water hardly there at all. Her arms still around his neck, she swam around to face him, pressing her whole body against his to warm them both.

 _God_ , he felt so good.

They floated silently. The only sounds were the waves rushing up and back down their bodies.

" _Elena_ ," he moaned, his voice low. "I love you so much."

Wrapping her legs around him under the water, she slicked his hair back from his face. Seeing his eyes locked to hers felt like she was in a trance, drawn to him no matter what. His crystal blue gaze was saying _so_ much without any more words.

"I love you too Damon," she breathed.

Panting heavily they both dove in, crashing their lips together at the same moment. They kissed hungrily, their bodies tangled together under the water. Their lips molded, heads bent to plunge deeper, their mouths ravenous in their conquest. The longer they kissed, the more hungry she was to be closer to him. Floating the water didn't give either of them the ability to explore each other the way they wanted.

Damon carried her back out of the water, his hands around her ass, his low moans while still kissing her making her tremble with need. She nodded to him and he put her down. They threw their towels and shoes, anything else they brought in the big bag and nearly ran back across the walkway to the hotel, dripping water all the way.

She stood by him as he used the key to unlock the side hotel door and felt a shiver from the night air against her damp skin. Damon draped his leather jacket over her shoulders and she pulled it in, holding onto the edges covering her bare shoulders.

The elevators were right inside the side entrance, so they didn't need to go through the lobby at all and he dragged her quickly through the doors. They just slipped in the outer doors to see the elevator open in front of them. Perfect timing.

One quick look at each other and they raced inside. Elena wasn't nearly close enough to him and jumped back in his arms, kissing him and grinding her bikini clad body against his hips. He spun her against the wall, dropping the bags, his leather jacket the only barrier between her skin and the full mirrored wall behind her. Damon was fumbling for the button for their floor before diving back to kissing her as the door closed.

Elena felt his one hand slide under his jacket and wander further. His palm explored her damp skin to slip under the wet silky bikini bottom. He squeezed her ass, while holding her up against the wall as she whimpered in his arms.

Damon's other hand was trying to untie the halter top by her neck while sucking and kissing down her throat as her head fell back. She felt the tie loosen and her husband bury his head between her breasts. She loved the rush of jumping him in the elevator. They hadn't been daring like that in far too long.

Elena glanced at the lights above the door to see how close they were to their stop on the 3rd floor. She hazily caught a glimpse of the light looking like they were still on the lobby floor before she felt his tongue suck on her nipple through her bikini top and her eyes fell closed again.

The elevator dinged suddenly and the doors started opening before either of them were aware. They both turned their heads to the now open doors at the same time and Elena blushed with embarrassment as she saw they had an audience...a very familiar audience.

The older couple they met from the beach was standing there in front of the elevator...staring right back at them.

* * *

Damon had frozen with her still in his arms up against the wall, his head against her chest. Her fingers were tangled in his hair and when she let go the raven strands were sticking up all over. He slowly started lowering her back to the floor when the old lady's face melted into a smile.

Elena dropped to her bare feet and curled her body behind his. She scrambled to get a hold of the strings of her lace bikini top, tying it back up and tugging the leather jacket back around her to zip it up. She had never been so embarrassed and struggled to think of a thing to say.

"Sorry...we uh..." she tried and saw Damon open his mouth but he was as tongue tied as she was.

The woman shushed them both with a wave of her hand. "Nonsense dear...enjoy being young. I miss being all...bendy like that. And you..." she looked at her husband. "being able to...do that." Her light blue eyes twinkled and Elena saw the playful smile that spread across her wrinkled face.

Elena saw Damon start to smile too and Eleanor's husband winked at him.

The woman nudged him, seeing his wink at them. "Frank, you only wish you could hold me like that again. Don't you get any ideas...or you know you will break your hip again and this time I won't go telling our friends that you just slipped on the stairs."

The man smiled at his wife before leaning down and kissing her cheek. "Well it would all be worth it, my darling."

Elena stifled a laugh, hardly believing what she was hearing. They were so cute and she wanted to be just like them when they were that age.

Damon caught the door as it started closing again. "Are you uh...going up?" The foreign uncomfortableness in her husband's voice was adorable.

Eleanor waved them away again. "Oh no...you two enjoy your night." She smiled warmly at both of them. "I see your precious little boy isn't with you."

Elena nodded, still feeling so bad the sweet old couple saw them like that.

"Well...you don't have to take my advice..." she started to say but the young mother was already nodding, very curious of any advice the kind woman would have.

"Why don't you make him a little sister to play with…" she said smoothly with a chuckle, before smiling more. "I'll bet he would be an amazing big brother."

"Eleanor!" Her husband shot her a scolding look, but she shrugged mischievously at all three of them, reminding Elena of how Damon would look after saying something like that.

Damon let the door go and it started closing as the couple argued about what was and wasn't appropriate to say. The woman winked and waved.

"Good night," she sing songed at them and then it was dead silent in the small space.

Elena slid her arms around Damon's waist from behind and kissed the bare skin of his back. She couldn't help but laugh at everything that just happened. Turning toward her he started laughing too and they both smiled and talked about how they could hardly believe how in love and sweet the old couple were, as they got to their floor and headed down the hall to their room.

"I like her," Damon commented. "She's got spunk."

Elena laughed. "Well you would. She reminds me of you." He looked back at her in mock disbelief and she nodded again. "Yeah, I was surprised I didn't see her smirk like you honey. They were so cute together and so sweet seeing us in such a…"

"Compromising position?" Damon offered raising his eye brows. She smiled, curling her arm around his. "Yes, very."

Standing in front of the door Elena was still thinking of what the lady had said. Stefan was barely 6 months old. They weren't ready for another baby were they? She was still nursing and also had been using another method of birth control. She wasn't done her residency yet either. No, she wasn't going to think about it now. This night was about fun and them and no big decisions at all.

Damon unlocked the door and was already standing in the room, before she realized she had not moved. She stepped in and stood watching him as he closed it behind them, tossing the beach bag to the floor by the closet.

"Quite the mood killer through. I felt like we got busted by one of our parents." Damon tossed the key card on the table and sunk down on the couch.

She slid onto his lap, her favorite way to be in his arms, straddling his lean legs. He was wearing nothing but his blue swim trunks and leaned back as she snuggled in. "I don't know babe. I think they were great and pretty much told us to make a sibling for Stef."

He unzipped his jacket she was still wearing and pulled it down her arms to throw it to the chair. "You know you look so much better in my jacket than I ever have." She noticed he had ignored her last comment. This was not the night to even start to discuss that.

Elena loved it anytime he gave her a compliment and she felt so sexy wearing nothing but a lacy bikini and leather jacket. His favorite jacket was bigger on her, even fitting when she was full term pregnant and wrapped her in his scent anytime she wore it.

His head fell to kiss along her throat and he sucked in the skin of her pulse point just like he would if he would bite her. It still felt so sexy even without the vampire fangs.

"We can talk about more babies another night. Tonight was a no babies allowed night remember?" he whispered, burying his head between her breasts and moaned low in his throat.

She nodded eagerly, feeling his lips so warm on her chilled skin.

Elena felt him smile against her aroused flesh and he licked and sucked more along her delicate curves. "So let's try this again...no more interruptions."

"No more...ahh. God Damon...don't stop."

"Mmmmm I won't," he breathed, licking down the valley between her breasts.

* * *

Just then his phone started buzzing from deep in the beach bag.

Damon stared at where the sound was coming from and growled in frustration. "Seriously? What did I _just_ say?" She laughed. Like scolding the phone for ringing would help anything.

He pouted, his bottom lip out fully as she crawled off his lap and went across the room to dig in the bag, kneeling on the carpet. "Damon it could be Melissa...about Stef."

Her husband growled again and started moving toward her, his eyes dark with lust or anger, she couldn't tell. She had just reached for the phone and pulled it from the bag when he was almost upon her.

"Damon!" she shrieked, her hair flying out behind her, as he grabbed for her waist. "Just wait..."

"Uh uh. I'm _all_ done waiting to have you to myself tonight," he drawled calmly. She slipped from his grasp and ran across the room toward the bed while answering the phone.

Elena heard Melissa's voice but it didn't sound like she was panicked in any way. "Mel, are you guys okay? How's my baby?"

Damon turned and was sauntering all sexy towards her, while undoing the string to his swim trunks. "I'm your baby... _Elena_..." he whispered insistently, his voice so velvety smooth. He looked pouty again and she watched his tongue wet his lips.

Elena's throat felt so dry as she stared at him, the fabric slipping lower and lower on his hips as he got closer and closer. "You what? Mel, I umm. Can you uh say that again?" She had not heard a damn thing her friend had said. She could have told her aliens kidnapped them and it would not have registered.

Damon cocked a brow with sultry intrigue at her fumbly response. " _Oh_ so you _do_ see me _..."_ he smirked at her.

Elena nodded numbly at him as he reached for her again, but she realized that Mel was talking and she still wasn't listening. She jumped away from him for the second time and ran around to the other side of the bed. She felt like he was hunting her to devour her whole. He would not soon let her forget this.

This time she caught a few more words and struggled to make sense of her friends reason to call. "Woke early...curling in...crying.. really hungry." Elena stood on the bed and almost screamed at Damon's predatory look at her as he walked over to the far side of the bed and cornered her, preventing her from getting away across the room again.

She gasped as his hands curled around her legs and squealed almost soundlessly. She could hear their baby crying but not hard as she tried to focus on answering her friend. It sounded like just gas and their son had only one way he liked to be held when that happened.

Damon had a full grasp of her legs and pulled her down, her body bouncing on the bed before he dragged her toward him. He looked damn well determined in getting her full attention. She knew if it was anything really serious that he would stop if she told him to. But she was enjoying being stalked as much as he looked to be enjoying the thought of what he would do to her now that he caught her.

He pulled her till her legs were hanging over the side of the bed and bent down. Caging her in under him, he started sucking in the skin of her belly, his lips warm, making her skin tingle. She fought a groan as her eyes fell closed.

Just get the call done with...she told herself. Focus damn it!

Damon was giving her wet open mouthed kisses along her hip bone before he stopped and sucked harder and deeper on the soft skin below her hip.

Elena fought with all she was to think of what to say and force her tongue to cooperate. "Mel, just hold him tight, his legs hanging down from your arms."

Oh mmm. His kisses felt so good.

"Yeah and have his head in your palm and rub his back up and down while holding him with your arm pressing onto his belly. Umm mm." It was getting harder to hear her at all as she felt Damon's hands slowly tugging her bikini bottoms lower and lower.

Elena felt him untying the one tie on the side of her hip with his teeth no less, slowly untangling the pieces of fabric. Her eyes fell closed again, feeling his lips kiss across her belly heading to untie the other one.

She could faintly hear another voice but heard their baby had stopped crying. "Yeah, yeah Mel, I'm still here." Damon had lifted his head and locked his eyes with hers, the heat racing between them.

His head fell back to her belly. "Mmm, hmm. Just give him more milk since he spit up and he should go right to sleep." She bit back a moan. "Damon..." she breathed out and he groaned against her skin totally ignoring her hands trying to pull his lips away from her.

Damon pulled the other tie open and she felt his tongue licking lower.

It sounded like all was well at home and she was shaking as she blinked to focus enough to find the end call button. "K, yep, great. Night!" She clicked off the call, the phone falling from her palm as he curled the fabric still lower, sucking on her very aroused bundle of nerves through the soaked fabric of her bottoms.

"Ahh, god Damon!" she moaned as he sucked harder and she arched her hips up, pressing his mouth more against her over sensitive core. He took full advantage of her arched hips and pulled the silk bottoms out from under her and dove his tongue between her folds, groaning deeply and pulling her hips harder toward him.

"God Lena you taste _so_ fucking good," he murmured, licking and pulling her warmth deeper into his mouth. She nearly bowed off the bed in ecstasy, her nails digging in his hair, holding his head right where she wanted it.

He looked up, his heavily lidded eyes so dark they looked black in the bright light. She felt his fingers spread her thighs wider and he reminded her how very much she had missed all these months that she had not let him taste and enjoy her like this.

She felt herself getting close, the waves of pleasure rising and falling, cresting higher and higher. His tongue plunged in and out of her and she could not take her eyes off him. The sight of his blissful expression was sending another rush of desire crashing through her fast and hard.

"Damon, so close.." she whimpered weakly, her breath panting out of her, the sweat slipping down her head and neck. "Don't, oh god. Ahh don't stop." She felt rather than saw him smile as he eagerly continued to remind her how talented his tongue was.

He had slipped two fingers past his tongue into her heat and she bucked hard against his face as the coil tightened more, the waves of pleasure washing through every inch of her body. He found the soft spot along her front wall, curling his finger just slightly and rubbing it back and forth. Elena dragged her nails down his bare arms, drawing blood in their path.

She felt her legs starting to shake. The burning white heat of her orgasm devoured her in its wake. She whimpered and clawed at him, nearly crying she felt so good and had missed this so much. God, she never wanted that feeling to end.

Elena felt light, free and wild and young all at once. She needed more of him...now.

Her body was still shuddering against him as she skimmed his swim trunks down his legs. He crawled up her trembling body to tangle his fingers with hers by her head. Elena saw now too that he was panting just as hard as she was.

Damon leaned his forehead to hers and bit his bottom lip between his teeth. "Thank you...so much Elena...for trusting me again…to please you. Are you okay?" His eyes were pools of deep blue, flooded with concern for her. "Cause I want you to feel safe...and not worry about anything right now."

Elena smiled lazily back up at him and stroked a damp piece of raven hair that was stuck to his forehead back where it belonged. She nodded, shifting more, opening her legs so his body was nestled between her thighs. She could feel him like steel against her belly and he lifted up more till he was gently nudging her entrance.

"I'm...great. I'm...perfect..." she gasped out, her heart still racing as the trembles settled. "I'm… so sorry it took so long for me to be okay again. So sorry Damon." She lifted her palm to stroke it down his cheek as he looked down at her. She felt tears welling up in her eyes.

Damon dipped his tongue between her parted lips and kissed her deeply. "Don't be," he whispered. "There is _nothing_ to be sorry for. I don't want you to feel like you rushed anything. And I wouldn't have done that...'" he indicated of what just happened, "if you said you weren't ready. I thought being playful and teasing might help you forget."

Her smile was relaxed and peaceful as she nodded. "It did. I think it did help to be playful and fun. Teasing me in the car before we even left and again while getting ready, the dance, looking at the stars, playing in the water." She giggled. "Nearly having me in the elevator and then stalking me, running around the room. It was amazing Damon. Every moment."

"Well the night is still not over yet," he said before his head fell to kiss her again. She felt him nudge again at her warmth, his hand down between them, coating himself with her juices. She shifted her hips just a bit and he sunk down into her.

Elena moaned and clutched at his one hand, the fingers still twined with hers. He held his weight off her and pulled back to push back in harder and as he kissed her slowly, plunging in again and again, devouring her lips with his. Her fingers scraped down his sweaty back now as his palms framed her face, cradling her under neath him as he rocked back and forth and she met each thrust with her own.

He rolled them over, so she was on top and she leaned over him, kissing him while circling her hips around the way she knew drove him wild. His palms splayed out to grip her hips and he lifted her up and down, helping her thrust faster and deeper as she tore her mouth from his and threw her head back. Her hair fell down her back as she cried out while rocking harder against him.

"Fuck, baby..." he moaned as his palms cupped both of her bikini clad breasts, molding them in his hands before running his thumbs over her hardening nipples.

She watched his baby blue eyes narrow like he wondered why she was still wearing anything.

Damon found her eyes as he drew in another shaky breath, pausing his thrusts, staying still inside her. "Can I...see you?" he asked almost timidly. "It's okay if you don't want to..." She knelt to put a finger to his lips, cutting him off.

"I do want to… I want to give you everything Damon. I'm not scared." She looked above them and pointed to the light. "In case you hadn't noticed, that light is brightly on and I hadn't even thought of it once. I trust you Damon. I do. I always have...it just took me awhile to trust myself again."

Her hands went to unhook the front clasp on her bikini top. Elena took a deep breath and pulled the cups aside, taking the pads with it. She lifted up to pull it off and tossed it to the floor. Everything was fine and she knew she wanted this as much as he did.

"As long as I don't hear a baby cry...we should be good. But anytime you aren't comfortable.. just tell me okay?"

He nodded slowly and she wished she knew what he was thinking. His eyes glazed over, the blue so liquid against the stark whites of his eyes. Elena saw her husband suck in a deep breath of his own.

"Fuck, baby you are so beautiful." His eyes were shining and she saw a single tear slip from the corner of his one eye. She sat up more on his lap, grinding her body into his and he gripped her hips again and thrust his up toward her fast before pulling back and snapping his hips to bury himself even deeper.

She felt like a goddess on his lap, stretching her body up, her skin glistening with sweat as she pushed back, her hands on his shoulders. She sat up more and lifted her arms to tie her hair back, pulling it into a loose high bun. She wasn't hiding any of herself from him.

"Can I?" he rasped out. His hands crept up her belly slowly and Elena nodded lifting his hands to curve his palms around the full weight of her bare breasts. Damon started kneading them both gently as her hands stayed on top of his.

"Mmm Damon," she whimpered, throwing her head back again. His touch felt so good and nothing was leaking at all.

Elena fell more forward at the urgency and power of his body delving into hers and her fingers curled around the wood of the head board as she crashed her hips back against his. She felt her coil tightening again, faster than before. She was so close. His thumbs were rubbing back and forth, teasing her nipples even harder and se felt like she was on fire.

Damon sat up, pulling her in, tasting her moans and whimpers as they got closer to their own heaven.

Winding her arms around his neck, Elena gazed in his eyes. "How did I ever deserve you?" she breathed in the air between their lips. She felt tears pooling at her lashes she was so happy.

Damon beamed at her pausing again for a second, his breaths jagged, the sweat slipping down his cheek. "I ask myself that same question..." He nuzzled into her neck and she lifted her hips urging him on.

"Damon, more, harder...please" she whimpered and he lifted her off him and slid his hands up her arms, instructing her to hold onto the headboard again as he went behind her. He lifted her to her knees and within seconds he was plunging into her heat again.

She groaned deep in her throat, lifting up more, pushing back against him as he held her around her stomach, allowing him to slide even deeper. Elena felt him give her wet open mouthed kisses down her spine as he rocked her body against his harder and faster.

Elena felt her knees ready to buckle in that position and without her saying a thing he had spun them so she was under him again on her back and he plunged deeper, harder, lifting her leg on his shoulder as he shook his damp hair back.

Seconds later Elena let out an open mouthed aching moan and she saw him watching her as stars exploded behind her eyes.

"Damon, ohhh god!" she cried out, her fingers buried in his hair. She wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling him so deep within her as he kissed her with so much passion.

Two thrusts later his voice shook as he cried out and she saw the ecstasy in his eyes as he held his body as tight to her as he could; frozen like he never wanted to leave the safety of her warmth. His gaze was locked on her again and she felt herself drowning in the pools of his eyes.

"You are everything," he uttered before his body fell on her, his head nuzzling her shoulder. Elena lay panting for a minute and then pulled his head back up, her hands framing his face.

"You are everything too Damon. I love you so much." She was struggling to catch her breath, cradling him as close as she could with all she was.

He blinked, looking like he could hardly believe this was real. "I love you too Lena, forever." Damon's lips fell to kiss away her tears that slipped down her cheeks before gazing so adoringly down at her.

* * *

Everything was perfect. Real, raw, human...any imperfections just fading away.

Humanity. This life with him. Being a family was worth every horrible thing that had happened to her. Every loss, every death. Everything they had fought through was worth being human together.

Elena smiled and pulled his head down to kiss him again when she felt a trail of wetness slide down the side of her chest. Oh shoot.

"Damon I need to get up..." He moved off her right away and she apologized again and headed to the bathroom. She was leaking more and more and it had been a long time since she pumped last.

Damon was already knocking on the door and passed her the pump as she blotted up the milk on her chest, before tying the towel there. He grabbed for a towel too and wiped himself up.

She quickly got things under control and was strolling back in the bedroom to put the almost full bottle in the mini fridge.

Her gorgeous husband was already dressed in super soft black pj pants. Damon walked over to her handing her the box of nursing pads and her favorite comfy bra. He had a soft black long sleeved pj top, the matching one to his pants in his arms too. She hugged him and slipped back in the bathroom.

He was waiting for her on the bed, the pillows all piled up when she came back. Elena climbed in beside him, smiling at how he knew how much she loved being comfy after sex.

"Room service is ordered and you can pick a movie." He tossed her the remotes and she flicked the TV on, scrolling for something to watch. This was their thing after Stefan was asleep. They would snuggle in and watch a movie before bed, sometimes two. TV series too and binge watched till they were too tired or their baby woke them up. It didn't happen often but she loved this time with him.

"What did you order?" she asked as she nuzzled into his arms, her head on his bare chest.

"A big plate of fries and an ice cream sundae," he replied with a smile.

Elena moaned. "Oooh, sounds perfect. I am _so_ hungry."

He chuckled, reaching over to dim the lights. "Oh I know…"

She knew there was still more time to enjoy each other but she loved this peaceful relaxing with him. Fuzzy jammies and ice cream with the love of her life was the perfect end to a perfect evening.

Elena leaned over him to capture his lips and he kissed her back slowly, his tongue lazily exploring her mouth. She crawled into his lap again, her long bare legs falling to the sides of his body and the kiss deepened. She could hear the movie starting but Damon had already pulled her in under the covers and rolled on top of her.

He bent to lift her shirt, kissing her belly. "Just so you know...my part of the sundae..." He was kissing between every few words. "I will eat right here..."

She giggled and pulled his head back up to hers. "I love how you think Salvatore." Elena was blushing and looking forward to dessert even more now. "I'd like to lick mine off you too..."

Damon grinned at her, pulling her lips back in. "I think we can arrange that..."

Elena drew him into a hug, feeling his heart beating hard against her own chest. They held each other close, her hearing the strong smooth beats and feeling the rise and fall of his body on hers.

She couldn't believe how happy she was and closed her eyes, just breathing in the incredible man curled around her.

No babies allowed...oh hell yeah they needed to do this more often.

* * *

 **There you go all done this sweet and sexy story! I hope liked reading it as much as I liked writing it.**

 **It has been quite a while since I have written anything lemony so I am really nervous how I did. My other stories are at a dark or really emotional place and so anything sweet and fluffy or hot and sexy hasn't happened in quite a while.**

 **Please send me your thoughts on this last part as well as any ideas of other human stories you would like to see. I am thinking giving Damon a cold or flu would be a fun human story to do next, along with something fun for Christmas and their baby's first birthday.**

 **Thanks again for reading and I hope you check out my other stories too. Have a great day!**


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